Bond set for teen brothers arrested in shooting of 13-year-old

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - Two brothers are in custody in connection with the shooting of a 13-year-old in Wilmington.

Jaden Tyrell Pierce, 16, has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to kill and discharge of a firearm. Keshaun Durrell Pierce, 18, was charged with felony accessory after the fact.

Keshaun was driving the car and Jaden was in the back seat. The brothers reportedly had a brief conversation with the 13-year-old. When the victim tried to walk away from the brothers, Jaden shot him from inside the car.

The two were arrested by the US Marshals Task Force and the Pender County Sheriff’s Department Thursday night at a home off Union Chapel Road in Burgaw.

Wilmington police confirmed Friday morning that the teens are brothers.

Keshaun Pierce recently graduated from Coastal Christian High School in Wilmington and was a member of the school’s basketball team. Jaden just finished his sophomore year at the high school and is currently a member of the basketball team.

According to Linda Thompson, spokeswoman for the Wilmington Police Department, the shooting happened in the 400 block of North Turner’s Run in the Cypress Cove apartments around 12:25 p.m. Wednesday. The apartments are located in the Creekwood South community.

When officers arrived at the scene, they found the teen boy suffering from a gunshot wound. He was rushed to New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Thompson said. The victim was reportedly shot in the spine and has since been moved to a hospital in Chapel Hill for treatment.

Jaden got a $75,000 bond and Keshaun was given a $25,000 bond. Their next court date will be August 8.

The victim says a third person was in the front passenger seat of the car, but Wilmington police have not released any information about anyone else charged in the shooting investigation.

If you have any information, please contact the Wilmington Police Department at 343-3609 or send an anonymous tip to Text-A-Tip by texting “CRIMES” (274637) and starting the text with “Tip708.”

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