In North Carolina, a three-year-old is dead after deputies say his father shot him and turned the gun on himself.
The shooting happened Friday, but on Sunday NewsChannel Three learned the father has died.
Ben Gaskins says he couldn’t believe it.
“It looked like New York City out here. It was fire trucks, police cars, people still coming and then all of a sudden you hear a helicopter.”
Deputies say 34-year-old Carey Adams Jr, also known as cj, shot and killed his three-year-old son, Jesse, before turning the gun on himself.
EMS took Jesse to Vidant Medical Center, where he later died, and deputies say Adams died in surgery.
“It’s just very sad what we’ve had to witness. Several of our officers are very emotionally upset. I had to send two of them home tonight from what they saw.” Said Pitt County Sheriff Neil Elks.
Neighbors say they’re shocked to hear Adams could be capable of killing his own son. They say from an outsider’s perspective, Adams seemed like a good dad who could often be seen playing with his son in their front yard.
“They had bought him a little John Deere gator and he would be riding the gator behind his dad. Just like any kid just playing and having a good time.”
Looked like a happy family. You know, I didn’t see anything that would tell otherwise.” Said Trace Yarbrough.
Adams had an extensive criminal record including dwi, possession of a firearm by a felon, breaking and entering and communicating threats.
Sheriff Neil Elks says Adams called the child’s mother before the shooting.
He says the separated couple had an ongoing domestic dispute and the mother has filed a restraining order against Adams.
Like so many others, Gaskins says he’s still trying to make sense of what happened.
“I didn’t sleep much knowing that a kid is involved like that, an innocent child. So, I can’t fathom it to be right honest.”
The boy’s family members who live nearby did not want to speak about the shooting.
