GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — A Gaston County mother says she’s reliving her grief over and over again, not just because she lost her son to gun violence, but because someone keeps vandalizing the memorial she created to honor him.
Christina Michaels’ son, Uriah McCree, was shot and killed in a drive‑by shooting on I‑85 near Exit 13 four years ago.
She said the memorial cross she placed at the site has now been torn down three times since March, including again today.
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“I got a phone call that he had been shot, and my world was completely turned upside down,” Michaels said. “It’s an everyday battle. I still mourn him and miss him every day.”
For Michaels, the cross is part of her grieving process. But she said each time it’s destroyed, the pain deepens.
“It angers me… but more than anything it hurts,” she said. “I don’t see how anyone could have that much anger and hatred in their heart.”
She hopes the memorial will jog someone’s memory and lead to an arrest. Investigators say McCree was driving along I‑85 in 2022 when someone pulled up beside him and shot him at least five times.
“I hope people pass by the memorial and remember my son and that his case not be forgotten,” Michaels said.
Despite the vandalism and the years without answers, Michaels says she refuses to give up hope.
“I’m 100% positive it will be solved,” she said. “I’m never going to stop fighting, and I will not lose hope.”
Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to contact law enforcement.