A 12-year-old boy from North Carolina fatally shot and killed an intruder after his grandmother was shot during a home invasion.
On Saturday at around 1am, two masked robbers broke into the home of 73-year-old Linda Ellis in Goldsboro and demanded money.
Police said that the child, who lived in the apartment with Ellis, fired at the masked suspects in “self-defense.”
19-year-old Khalil Herring was found suffering from an apparent gunshot wound at an intersection near the Ellis home.
Both he and Ellis were Wayne UNC Health Care in Goldsboro for treatment, but Herring was later pronounced dead.
“Preliminary evidence suggest(s) Khalil Herring was one of the two masked intruders and was shot during the robbery,” said the investigators.
“A 12-year-old juvenile occupant of the residence shot at the suspects with a firearm in self-defense, causing them to flee the area.”
Ellis had suffered from non-life-threatening injuries, and is now in stable condition.
Randolph Bunn, who claimed to be the child’s great-uncle, said that he was present during the home invasion and confirmed that one of them was carrying a gun.
“They came in the house, I open the door, I open it, and they came in there,” he shared.
“(The intruder) just shot his grandma … He would have shot him too, he would’ve shot me too, he would’ve killed us all.”
While the investigation is still ongoing, the police cleared in a statement that charges against the boy “are not anticipated.”
Ellis’ great niece Chiquita Coley said that she could not believe what had happened.
“My phone was constantly ringing, and ringing and ringing,” she said.
“I just couldn’t believe she been shot because she’s a good person.”
“Why would somebody come into her house and do this? It’s got to stop. I don’t know what they’re thinking around here in Goldsboro, but it’s got to stop.”