3 dead after chase ends in crash into Shelby home, officials say

SHELBY, N.C. — Three people died after a chase ended in a crash into a Shelby home around 1 a.m. Sunday, Channel 9 has learned.

Someone driving away from a cookout in Cherokee County, South Carolina called 911 to report people shooting at her car, according to deputies. The caller said she was a passenger in the car and said the shots came from a truck that was still following them, according to deputies.

Deputies said that truck then entered Cleveland County. A deputy started following it at Sulphur Springs Road and almost overtook the truck, which was speeding at that point, investigators said.

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After the deputy lost sight of the truck, he found it had crashed into a home in Shelby at the intersection of Dekalb Street and Suttle Street in Shelby. No one in the home was hurt.

The homeowner told Channel 9 that he was asleep when the crash happened.

“I was in the bed asleep. I was in this room,” Kenneth Hoskins said. “Another 15 feet and it would have hit me. If it had been on this side of the house, it would have been right at my front room.”

Hoskins said he has lived in the home since 1971. He feels lucky that he didn’t get hurt.

“This is the way crime is. People got nothing better to do?” Hoskins said.

Fabian Cosby, 20, Keandre Kirkland, 20, and Elijah Priester, 18, were killed, investigators told Channel 9.

“Given the relentlessness with which these suspects pursued and shot at the victims, it is a miracle that no one in the victims’ car was injured,” Sheriff Alan Norman said in a statement. “I am proud of the joint effort between all the involved agencies to work through this investigation.”

Channel 9 is working to learn more information about the chase and will provide updates as they come in.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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