Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Girl, 6, and parents shot after basketball rolls into neighbour’s garden

Authorities say Robert Louis Singletary, 24, is ‘armed and dangerous’ after incident in North Carolina

Graeme Massie
Los Angeles
Thursday 20 April 2023 12:17 BST
Related video: Patrick Mahomes comments on Ralph Yarl shooting

Police are hunting a North Carolina man who allegedly shot a six-year-old girl and her parents after a basketball rolled into his garden, say police.

Robert Louis Singletary, 24, is accused of shooting and injuring several people and police describe him as being “armed and dangerous” after violence broke out in Gastonia, North Carolina, on Tuesday evening.

Family members have identified the injured youngster as Kinsley White, who was released from the hospital overnight, according to Queen City News.

The youngster’s father, William White, was also shot and wounded in the incident, and her mother Ashley Hilderbrand was grazed by a bullet, reported WSOC-TV.

“We don’t even know the man,” Kinsley, who needed stitches for bullet fragments to the cheek, told the television station. “Why did you shoot my daddy and me? Why did you shoot a kid’s dad?”

Ms Hilderbrand told the station that the suspect had threatened her husband and daughter’s lives.

“He looked at my husband and my daughter and told them, ‘I’m going to kill you,’” she said.

Robert Louis Singletary accused of shooting a six-year-old and her parents in North Carolina, after a basketball rolled into his garden
Robert Louis Singletary accused of shooting a six-year-old and her parents in North Carolina, after a basketball rolled into his garden (GPD)

Police say they do not know if the suspect is on foot or in a car.

“Gaston County Police has obtained warrants on Robert Louis Singletary for his involvement in the shooting. Mr Singletary has been charged with 4 counts of attempted 1st degree murder, 2 counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury and 1 count of possession of a firearm by a felon. Mr Singletary remains at large,” Gaston County Police stated

The suspect is described as 6 feet, 2 inches tall with brown eyes and black hair. He weighs about 223 pounds.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in