Adult, 14-year-old boy charged in connection to fatal shooting of 5-year-old Charlotte girl

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - An adult and a 14-year-old boy have both been charged in connection to the fatal shooting of a 5-year-old girl in northeast Charlotte.

The 14-year-old boy is charged with involuntary manslaughter, while the adult faces charges of failing to secure a firearm to protect a minor.

The adult’s name is not being released to protect the identity of the 14-year-old, according to police. CMPD says the adult lived at the apartment.

Police say 5-year-old Amani Barringer was shot inside an apartment on Elgywood Lane around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday.

When officers arrived, they located the girl, later identified as Barringer, inside the apartment suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. MEDIC took the girl to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Officers say the 14-year-old was still on scene when police arrived Wednesday night and was taken in to be interviewed.

“Until the community cares, nothing’s going to change,” a CMPD officer said. “I’m telling you now that there is a 5-year-old girl who is deceased who was alive this morning. Regardless of what your worldview is, this should cause you to be sick to your stomach.”

Police say two family members, a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old, were inside the apartment at the time of the shooting.

An 11-year-old, who lives just a few doors down, said she was said to hear Amani had died.

“I felt really sad. And it made me kind of cry,” Guysi Interinno said. She also remembered seeing Amani play other kids in the neighborhood.

“She would usually come out and play with the kids that live there. She would usually talk to them and play with them. I saw her two big siblings and she just played around with them.”

Lisa Crawford with Mothers of Murdered Offspring says they are ready to assist the family, hoping to provide comfort.

“First of all, I have to catch my breath because it is so devastating and heart wrenching,” she said. “I have a 6-year-old and I cannot fathom... I just cannot fathom.”

Crawford also had a message to parents and gun safety: “If you have to have it, do everything you can to always be on point with it - and safety is the most important part.”

The investigation into this case is active and ongoing.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call 704-432-TIPS and speak directly to a Homicide Unit detective. The public can also leave information anonymously with Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or http://charlottecrimestoppers.com/.