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4th suspect wanted in Gastonia homicide taken into custody

GASTONIA, N.C. — A fourth person connected to the shooting death of a 20-year-old in Gastonia is in custody.

[PHOTOS: Man shot to death inside car in Gastonia]

Kevin Goodwin is in the Gaston County Jail, charged with murder, officials said Tuesday.

On Monday, Dawan Myers, Jonqae Griggs and Jahlqualyn Goode were arrested and charged with murder in the death of Richard Abernathy.

The shooting happened just after midnight Monday at the corner of Craig Avenue and Thomas Street, off East Franklin Boulevard.

Officers told Channel 9 that Abernathy was killed after he was shot in the face while sitting in a car.

"All of a sudden, we just heard this loud boom," one witness, who did not want to be identified, said. "We looked over and it looked like a body laying on the ground."

Witnesses said Abernathy was shot and killed in a parking lot where children play.

"Scary to the point where if you could, you'd just pack up and move right at that moment," a witness said.

Witnesses said Abernathy was inside a white car when he was shot. Channel 9 watched investigators search the car and gather evidence.

Officers said there was a second crime scene connected to the shooting at an apartment complex on Balthis Drive, about a four-minute drive from Craig Avenue.

Detectives have not yet said what led to the shooting.

While Channel 9 reporter Mark Barber was on the scene, police responded to another crime, a stabbing in the parking lot of the Gaston Inn on East Franklin Boulevard.

Officers told Channel 9 a man was stabbed in the head, but they said they do not believe it was related to the homicide.

This shooting comes after two other shootings over the weekend.

One happened at the Broncos Night Club on West Franklin Boulevard. Investigators believe there were multiple shooters who were possibly shooting at each other.

One person suffered minor injuries in that shooting.

Police also responded to a shooting at a nearby McDonald's, and believe the two weekend incidents are related.

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