Bond increased for teen connected to shootings in Hickory

HICKORY, N.C. — A judge in Catawba County doubled the bond for an 18-year-old man accused of shooting at two different people over the last month.

The same man’s stepfather was shot at his home in southwest Hickory in a third shooting and later died at the hospital.

Police are telling Channel 9′s Dave Faherty they are continuing to look at whether the three shooting may be connected.

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Toland Huff Jr. was out on bond on attempted murder charges for shooting into two apartments in March. Less than a month later, he is accused of shooting at an 18-year-old outside a convenience store along South Center Street in Hickory.

Two days before that second shooting, Huff’s stepfather, 46-year-old Prosper Nyatorwonu was fatally wounded in a shooting outside his home on 14th Avenue Drive Southwest.

The victims wife told Channel 9 someone came out of the woods and began firing at the couple. Police have not made any arrests in the deadly shooting.

Joy Tucker shared photos of Nyatorwonu. She says she just picked him up from an overnight shift at work when they were ambushed in their driveway after returning home.

“It would be nice if they turned themselves in … but that’s probably not an option for them,” Tucker said. “You know, they took away a great man. He was really a great guy.”

The timing of the shooting -- weeks after Huff allegedly fired three to five shots at an ex-girlfriend’s apartment and days before he’s accused in another shooting -- have caught the attention of investigators.

In court Monday, prosecutors argued to raise Huff’s bond for the attempted murder charge over concerns about “community safety and a retaliation shooting.”

Tucker told Channel 9 she wasn’t certain if the shooter came to her home because of the allegations involving her son.

“I’m not sure ... it’s a possibility, but Toland was not there that day,” she said. “Toland was working double shifts everyday. Only thing he was doing was trying to protect himself by, you know, staying out of the way and going to work.”

Tucker said the family is working to put together a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in her husband’s murder. She said she does not believe her son is responsible for those two other shootings.

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