‘I am so happy’: Family of shooting victims reacts to suspect’s arrest

GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — The White family is reacting to the news that the man who fired shots at their family is finally behind bars.

Robert Louis Singletary, 24, turned himself into authorities in Tampa, Florida Thursday night. Singletary was wanted for four counts of attempted first-degree murder in Gaston County.

One of the alleged victims is 6-year-old Kinsley White, who was hit in the face with bullet fragments. Her father, William White, remains hospitalized after being shot outside his home.

White’s grandmother was overjoyed when she learned that Singletary had been arrested. “I am so happy. I came flying out that door shouting and throwing my hands,” Carolynn Hilderbrand told Channel 9.

Family members said the incident started when several young children were playing basketball and the ball rolled down the street and into Robert Singletary’s yard. They said Singletary got mad and ran down the street, firing a gun at a neighbor.

“I’ve lived in this neighborhood for 47 years and I never had to deal with nothing like that. First experience and I hope this very last experience to go through something like this,” Hilderbrand said.

Since the shooting Chloe White said the family has had many restless nights, wondering if Singletary would come back.

“It’s been hard for our whole family to see that. We never thought that this would happen to our family,” Chloe explained. “We haven’t really got no sleep because we’ve been scared that he would come back and try to finish what he started.”

However now that Singletary is in police custody the family says it can breathe a little easier.

“As long as they don’t let him out of jail when they bring him back up here,” Hilderbrand said.

On Thursday, Channel 9′s Dave Faherty spoke with a man who lived in the same home as the suspect. He said he hoped Robert Singletary was going to turn himself into authorities.

People who live in that neighborhood said they’re being very cautious, and some had even armed themselves.

Alex Staniszewski was cleaning up his home Thursday after police surrounded it while searching the residence for Singletary. Staniszewski said Singletary’s girlfriend was renting a room at the home.

“It’s an absolute travesty that what should have just been a mild conversation with a child about anything turned into someone getting shot,” Staniszewski said. “I can’t imagine any kind of conversation turning into a firearm being used.”

Singletary is also being charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, and possession of a firearm by a felon. More charges are likely because of the shots fired into neighbors’ homes.

Singletary was taken into custody with the help of U.S. Marshals. He appeared in court in Tampa, Flordia, on Friday.

(PREVIOUS: Police respond to Gaston County neighborhood)