‘Put these guns down’: Teens charged after toddler grazed in head during shootout

CHARLOTTE — Two teens have been charged after a 1-year-old girl was shot in southeast Charlotte Monday evening -- the latest case of youth in the Queen City becoming victims of gun violence.

On Tuesday, police said they charged 19-year-old De’Aaron Truesdale and a 15-year-old boy, who was also shot.

The shooting happened just after 6 p.m. at a shopping center parking lot along East Independence Boulevard, near Idlewild Road.

According to police, the 15-year-old boy and 1-year-old girl were passengers in a vehicle driven by Truesdale. While they were driving along East Independence Boulevard, police said a gold sedan pulled up next to them, and gunfire was exchanged.

The 15-year-old was shot in the leg, and the 1-year-old was grazed in the head. Their injuries are serious, but they’re expected to be OK.

“All I know is, she was shot in the head. Innocent, baby. Went into surgery and mom says that she’s gonna be OK,” community leader Lucille Puckett told Channel 9.

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Police said Truesdale and the 15-year-old fired back at the other car, and that it was rounds from Truesdale’s weapon that struck the teen and child.

Truesdale has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, child abuse inflicting serious injury, two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, reckless driving and hit and run.

The 15-year-old was charged with possession of a handgun by a minor.

The 1-year-old’s mother told Channel 9 reporter Mark Becker that Truesdale is the little girl’s father and he wouldn’t hurt her. She believes the bullet that hit her daughter came from the other car.

“It could be so many different scenarios,” Puckett said. “To say the least, they need to put these guns down. Innocent people, babies, are losing their lives.”

Channel 9 crews on the scene could see a car riddled with bullet holes being towed away from the scene. CMPD officers had blocked off the entire parking lot for hours while they collected evidence.

A witness told Channel 9 the car jumped a curb and sideswiped a metal pole, causing extensive damage to the right side of the vehicle.

Gloria Lopez was at the Super Coin laundromat in the shopping plaza and said she heard gunshots. When she rushed outside, she saw the aftermath.

“I saw the little girl, she was like three years old, and it looked like she had a head wound,” Lopez said. “She was bleeding and shaking. The guy in the front, they were trying to help him out because he was also bleeding. Everyone was trying to help and try to assist them.”

Police told Channel 9 they are searching for the gold sedan that was involved and that it may have side-swipe damage on the driver’s side.

CMPD said there are several surveillance cameras in the area and police hope is the incident was caught on camera.

Check back with wsoctv.com for updates on this story.

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