BURLINGTON, N.C. — UPDATE: The two people Burlington police had their charges amended after it was found that the charges were the result of "intentionally false and misleading statements." BPD has arrested Syquan Jaheem Mason-Rhames, 24, and charged him with first-degree murder.
Burlington police arrested two men tied to the shooting of a seven-year-old Thursday night.
Officers arrested 18-year-old Tremaine Armstrong and 21-year-old Kemontae Crosby. Armstrong faces an attempted murder charge, and Crosby faces an accessory after the fact charge, according to police.
Investigators said people were arguing at Beaumont Apartments on Thursday around 8 p.m. when shots were fired. One of the bullets hit a seven-year-old boy in the upper body, according to police. The child was in critical condition. Police stressed that the boy was just a bystander.
The boy, Mason Levi Jenkins, was air-lifted to a nearby trauma center.
Burlington Police Chief Alan Balog released a statement Friday night about the shooting:
"Last night a 7-year-old little boy was shot while he was a bystander to a shooting. His injuries are extremely severe. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the family and everyone affected by this act of violence.
Since this happened our entire agency has been focused on identifying and apprehending the people responsible. These offenders have now been arrested and their names have been released elsewhere. There are no other offenders in this crime.
This incident affects all of us, and it is a reminder of the importance of coming together as a community. While we are deeply saddened by what has occurred, we also look forward to strengthening our resolve to prevent such violence from taking place again. Now more than ever, we need the community’s support, cooperation, and vigilance."
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