HAMLET — One man as been charged and police are looking for another after a child was shot over the weekend.
Investigators with the Hamlet Police Department say a 6-year-old child was shot in the foot around 4 a.m. Saturday when a fight broke out at a party and a gun was pulled and fired.
According to police, there are conflicting stories as to who fired.
Kevin Shamek Blue, 22, of Raleigh Street, was arrested and charged with negligent child abuse causing serious injury, a felony, and assault on a child under 12 years of age, which is a misdemeanor. Richmond County Jail records show he is also charged with discharging a firearm in city limits and two counts of failure to appear on a misdemeanor.
Online court records show Blue is facing several traffic citations, including driving with a revoked license and having an open container of alcohol in the passenger area of a vehicle.
Police are still looking for 20-year-old Jesse Thomas James and have obtained a warrant for his arrest for the charge of assault by pointing a gun.
The department posted photos of James on its Facebook page Saturday.
Anyone with information on James’ whereabouts is encouraged to call the Hamlet Police Department at 910-582-2551 or Richmond County Crime Stoppers at 910-997-5454.
As of Monday evening, Blue was still in jail under a $27,500 total secured bond.
He is scheduled to appear in court May 30 on the charges in this case and June 12 on the traffic charges.
Records with the N.C. Department of Public Safety Division of Adult Correction show Blue was convicted of conspiracy to commit larceny after breaking and entering in 2014. Two years later he was convicted on a misdemeanor charge of carrying a concealed weapon.
James has not prior convictions in this state, online records show.
Investigators say more charges are pending in this case.
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guility in a court of law.
