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Police ramping up presence amid string of shootings in Statesville

By DaShawn Brown, wsoctv.com
By DaShawn Brown, wsoctv.com

STATESVILLE, N.C. — In a less than two-week period last month, Statesville police responded to seven shootings, with bullets piercing homes and cars.

Investigators said all of those shootings happened on the south side of Statesville and likely involved two rival groups.

Several agencies, including Statesville police, are patrolling these neighborhoods even more frequently because of all the violence.

“The police do the best they can, but nobody's talking,” said Franklin White, who has lived in the neighborhood for 43 years. “Anybody can get hit. They don't know if kids are in the house, grownups. Anybody can get hit by a stray bullet.”

The motive for the shootings could be revenge after D.J. Turner was slain in late March and then buried in a shallow grave, a source said.

On 4th Street, investigators said shots were fired into four homes last month.

One bullet narrowly missed Vanessa Quezada.

“If everybody moved from the southside, what would it be like? Somebody has to stand,” Quezada said.

Last week, several community members, including more than 20 churches and five law enforcement agencies, took a stand by hosting a week-long revival.

Nearly 5,000 people attended, but once the revival ended, gunshots returned.

Investigators responded to a drive-by shooting on 10th Street Friday night.

“That just lets us know we're doing the right thing,” said Natalie Storment, of Power Cross Ministries. “There are a lot of broken people here, and everywhere, but what we're trying to do is offer them a way to be healed through something greater than what they can do here.”

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