Four teens charged in connection to Rockingham shootings

ROCKINGHAM — Four teenagers are facing charges in connection to two February shootings.

According to the Rockingham Police Department, a female victim was injured Feb. 22 in a shooting on Cabel Drive.

The suspects in that shooting were determined to all be teenagers. 

Police say a 17-year-old male was taken into custody on March 18, and a 15-year-old male was taken into custody April 3 with help from the U.S. Marshals Service. A third suspect, a 16-year-old male, reportedly turned himself in on May 13.

During the investigation, detectives reportedly found evidence to link the three defendants, along with another 17-year-old, in connection to a Feb. 7 shooting on Cox Street that resulted in two injuries.

That suspect was reportedly taken into custody on April 29.

Police say the SWAT Team was deployed on May 12 in an effort to find one of the suspects and recover evidence.

All four are being held in the Cabarrus County Juvenile Detention Center and the older three are being charged as adults, according to the RPD.

Police say the three initial suspects are each charged with:

• Four counts of attempted first-degree murder
• Three counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury
• Discharging a weapon into an occupied property
• Two counts of felony conspiracy
• Possession of a stolen motor vehicle
• Assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill
• Discharging a weapon into an occupied property causing serious bodily injury
• Possession of a handgun by a minor
• Injury to personal property
• Discharging a firearm in city limits

The other 17-year-old is charged with:

• Two counts of attempted first-degree murder
• Two counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury
• Discharging a weapon into an occupied property
• Felony conspiracy
• Possession of a stolen motor vehicle
• Possession of a handgun by a minor
• Injury to personal property
• Discharging a firearm in city limits

Although three are being charged as adults, police say they are not releasing the defendants’ names or mug shots because they are under 18.

All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.