CHARLOTTE — A South Carolina family said they are traumatized from their drive through Charlotte late last week.
A bullet hit their truck, inches from where their 5-year-old son sat. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police told Channel 9 in an email they could only share information available in a police report from the incident and that officers are actively investigating.
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The mother of the 5-year-old, Ashlie Kelley, is trying to stay positive about the ordeal.
“God was with us that day, so I’m taking a tragedy that could’ve been and being thankful that it didn’t happen,” Kelley said.
The bullet flew into the family’s Chevy Silverado as they were driving in the northbound lanes of I-85 around the Brookshire last Saturday. The family shared photos with Channel 9 showing where the bullet went through their tailgate, into the back window and struck the headliner -- just above where the 5-year-old boy was sitting in his car seat.
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“I feel like I’m still in shock by all of this,” Kelley said.
Kelley also said she’s still haunted by what could have happened.
“I had a panic attack when I came home that evening because I realized when I walked into my son’s room, I could’ve come home with one less child,” Kelley said.
The family lives near Greenville, South Carolina and they were driving to IKEA in north Charlotte. They were almost there when around 12:15 p.m. they heard the loud noise of something hitting their truck.
“All of a sudden we just heard a big pow and we didn’t even realize what just happened,” Kelley said.
They called 911. Channel 9 pulled the police report and discovered it was one of two shootings in the same location in the same timeframe. The report stated that a bullet also hit another vehicle, a Toyota Highlander. There was a woman and two children inside that vehicle. The report listed their ages as 3 and 4 years old.
No one was hurt in both shootings, but it traumatized Kelley and her husband. He is a military veteran.
“This has kind of opened up new wounds for him, especially being with his son,” Kelley said.
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She still has no clue why it happened but hopes whoever did it knows the damage they could’ve caused.
“You about took everything from us and for just what?“ Kelley said. “There are so many scenarios that could’ve happened, just be more responsible for human life.”
Saturday afternoon, North Carolina Highway Patrol was told to be on the lookout for a black SUV, but there isn’t much more of a suspect description. CMPD told Channel 9 that no one has been charged.
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