Leaders call for unity in Chadbourn after another deadly shooting

CHADBOURN, N.C. (WECT) - Leaders in Chadbourn are shocked and devastated after a shooting in the town left one person dead and two others injured late Tuesday night.

The incident is the second deadly shooting in less than three months in Chadbourn. A July 3 party on Broadway Road turned deadly and left three people dead and sent one person to the hospital.

Just last Friday, Chadbourn town leaders and members of the community rallied together, calling for an end to gun violence. Leaders say waking up to the news of another shooting this morning is a step in the wrong direction.

“It’s devastating every time that we hear something like this has happened,” said Chadbourn Mayor Phillip Britt.

Still, Britt and other members of the community are trying not to be discouraged. Dr. Timothy Lance, a pastor at Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church and one of the organizers of the “Unite Chadbourn” rally last week, expects more events to continue, especially after this shooting.

“We must be in it for the long-haul,” said Lance. “Change is not gonna happen overnight. It’s not gonna happen next week, but if we are positive, persistent, and we keep working on it, we will begin to see change and will begin to make a difference in our community, too.”

Lance says his main focus is on reaching the kids of Columbus County and setting them on a path towards community engagement, not violence.

“One of the things that we know is an issue here, and I said it the other time, is that we know that there’s an issue with not having enough outlets for children to engage in positive things,” said Lance.

Town leaders knowing that if change is possible, it will require teamwork from the community.

“Everybody has to be behind this for the community to be behind it so we have to stand together and we have to stand united,” said Britt.

Leaders hopeful that the town can come together and push forward after gun violence takes another life.

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