Local

Grandma of Salisbury shooting victim: 'Feels like they're marking my family'

By Gina Esposito, wsoctv.com and DaShawn Brown, wsoctv.com
By Gina Esposito, wsoctv.com and DaShawn Brown, wsoctv.com

ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. — Police have identified two men who were shot and killed Saturday morning in Salisbury.

Anthony Eugene Gill, 22, of Salisbury, died at Novant Health Rowan Medical Center, while Daquan Robertson, 23, of Salisbury, was found dead in the 200 block of South Church Street.

[IMAGES: Two killed, three injured in Salisbury shooting]

The Rowan County Sheriff's Department was called to the 100 block of West Fisher Street around 2:30 a.m. Saturday. When deputies arrived, they found Robertson dead.

Three others were shot and wounded.

Quandarius Rasheim Davis, 22, of Salisbury, was treated and released from the hospital, while Kayla Bennette McCullers, 20, was taken to an area trauma hospital.

[RELATED: Community leaders still working to curb Salisbury violence]

A fifth person with gunshot wounds arrived at Lexington Memorial Hospital a short time later. Investigators are trying to determine if that shooting victim has any connection to the other four.

Sharon Mathews has no idea why her grandson, Robertson, was killed in front of a church.

“My grandson is dead. It’s not right that we have to suffer and we can’t sleep at night,” Mathews said.

(WEB EXTRA: A devastated Sharon Mathews talks about the killing of her grandson)

Shell casings were found all over the Wells Fargo parking lot, where windows from two cars had been shot out.

Investigators were also collecting evidence near Go Burrito, a restaurant that closed because of the shooting.

Mathews said she met her grandson there about a month ago, which was the last time she saw him.

“He gave me a big hug and I said, ‘Ya’ll don’t get in trouble,'" she said.

Mathews said her son, Reggie Burke, was killed exactly one year ago Saturday.

“What is going on? It feels like they're marking my family,” Mathews said.

A few minutes away, another family asked the same question, while Bianca Koontz held a photo of her cousin, Gill.

“It's still hard,” Koontz said. “I wish I could just be able to talk to him again, but I won't. I just want the killer to come forward.”

Among those mourning the victims is Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker and Salisbury native Keion Adams, who is friends with Robertson and the cousin of Gill.

(WEB EXTRA: Pittsburgh Steelers' Keion Adams talks about death of cousin, friend, WTAE-TV)

At Steelers training camp, Adams told WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh that he will rely on his family, coaches and faith during this tough time.

"It's going to be difficult, but I just keep God on my mind, pray to him each and every night, just take it one day at a time,” Adams said.

Police said an argument sparked the shooting.

“I moved out of Florida because of all the drugs and the crime, from the Tampa Bay area and now it's happening in a small little town like this,” one neighbor said.

Salisbury City Council member Kenny Hardin believes the shooting was gang-related.

“I don’t think we are taking this crime seriously,” Hardin said.

Hardin said the community and city need to come together to end the violence because too many families are suffering.

“We can’t have any more prayer vigils. We can’t have any more peace marches. We can't have all of this analysis. We have got to put some decisive strategies into place so this doesn't keep recurring,” Hardin said.

“Find the murderer,” Mathews said. “Find out who is killing these people.”

As police are still trying to piece all of this together, the city canceled Music at Mural, which was scheduled Saturday.

No arrests have been made.

(WATCH: Reporter Gina Esposito walks through the shooting investigation)

No arrests have been made.

Anyone with information has been asked to call the Salisbury Police Department at (704) 638-5333.

Read more top trending stories on wsoctv.com:

Cox Media Group

0

Most Read