FOREST CITY, N.C. (AP) - A North Carolina man fatally shot a 7-year-old girl three hours after he had been released from jail on separate gun charges, police said.
Shaquille Francis, 26, was initially charged with assault with a deadly weapon after the shooting of Aaliyah Norris as she rode in a car on Tuesday in Forest City. Authorities upgraded the charge to murder after Aaliyah died Thursday, news outlets reported.
Forest City Police Chief Chris LeRoy said Aaliyah was killed during an “exchange of gunfire between cars,” but investigators do not believe she was the intended target.
Three hours before the shooting, Francis had been released from jail on a charge of assault by pointing a gun, WLOS-TV quoted LeRoy as saying.
Francis remained in jail on a $10 million bond, news outlets reported. It was unclear whether he had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.