Police: 2 charged in connection with deadly shooting in Gastonia

GASTONIA, N.C. — A 19-year-old accused of shooting two people, killing one of them, turned himself in to detectives Monday, Gastonia police said.

Ja’Kelon Duval is accused of shooting two 19-year-olds over a week ago -- one of them died. Duval, of Gastonia, was named as a suspect in the shooting death of Deionte Sparkman, according to police.

After an investigation, police took out arrest warrants for Duval. On Tuesday morning, officers said Duval turned himself in to Gastonia police Monday afternoon.

Authorities said Mary Bentley, 20, was also charged with murder for driving Duval from the scene after the shooting.

Police said they began investigating the homicide on May 16 after officers responded to a shooting around 12:30 p.m. on Westwood Circle near Holland Avenue.

It was the sixth shooting involving teenagers in a matter of days, police said.

Gastonia police said they found Sparkman on the road with a gunshot wound. He was taken to a local hospital, where he later died.

Authorities said someone drove a second victim to a hospital.

According to police, a neighbor’s security camera caught Duval leaving in a silver-colored car that Bentley was driving.

Channel 9′s Anthony Kustura spoke with Sparkman’s family, who said their son was at a friend’s house when someone shot him in the back. They said his friend who was also shot is expected to be OK.

“This was the last place he was at. The last place he laid down. And I know he was calling for his mom. I know it,” said Sparkman’s mother Nikki Clark-Peoples.

Duval made his first court appearance Tuesday, where he received no bond.

Clark-Peoples was also there and told Channel 9′s Ken Lemon that she has no hate in her heart for Duval, but that she can’t help feeling a bit betrayed.

She said Duval was one of Sparkman’s closest friends at one point, even visiting her home often. She said the schoolmates drifted apart as they grew up.

“I forgive you. I really do. I forgive him because at the end of the day, my son is in a better place, but why did you do it?” Clark-Peoples said. “I hate his actions but I’ll never hate him because he is still somebody’s child too.”

‘Brightened their lives up’: Family remembers son who was killed

Sparkman’s father said the loss is unimaginable for their family. The family had just come back from a weekend at the beach before the shooting happened.

“Anybody he come in contact with, he brightened their lives up. Always,” said Steven Peoples.

Sparkman’s parents demanded justice before his memorial service. His mother was hopeful that police would bring closure to their family.

“A part of me died here. When he died, I died,” Clark-Peoples said. “I can never bring him back but I can just have him in my heart.”

Two blocks away from the crime scene, there was another shooting three days earlier. Two 17-year-olds were shot on Ridge Avenue.

“That’s one thing that detectives are going to be looking into to see if these two incidents are related,” said Rick Goodale, with Gastonia police.

Anyone with information is asked to call police.

Return to this story for updates.

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