A 20-year-old Raleigh, North Carolina man, Charles Stevenson Jr., is facing serious felony charges after allegedly shooting at a vehicle during a road rage incident, injuring a 5-year-old girl. The child, identified only as Ema, was riding with her father during rush hour when the incident occurred. A bullet reportedly passed through her leg and ended up lodged in her sippy cup, according to local law enforcement.
Ema’s aunt, Aubree Allison, expressed her shock and dismay at the incident in an interview with a local NBC affiliate. She described the incident as a horrifying image and something no one would ever want to experience in their own life.
Stevenson is currently facing charges of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury, and discharging a firearm into occupied property. Initially, he was charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, but the charges were upgraded by local prosecutors by the time Stevenson appeared in court for his bond hearing.
Wake County Judge Margaret Eagles informed Stevenson that one of his charges had been dismissed and recharged in a different manner. Consequently, he was to be held without bond on the new charge.
The incident reportedly occurred on U.S. 1 between the U.S. 64 offramp and Cary Parkway overpass. Ema’s father told police that Stevenson was driving erratically and had an altercation with another motorist before targeting him and his daughter. Stevenson allegedly threw an object at the other motorist’s car, which ended up hitting the father’s Ford F-150. This led to a verbal exchange between the two men, after which Stevenson allegedly fired a shot.
Ema’s mother, Gina, in an interview with the local NBC affiliate, said the bullet was found in her daughter’s sippy cup. She also alleged that Stevenson was trying to run another car off the road.
Ema has reportedly undergone multiple surgeries and will require physical therapy. A GoFundMe page set up for her family describes the incident as a heartbreaking event caused by another driver’s reckless actions. Despite the ordeal, the page notes that Ema remains in high spirits and is showing incredible strength as she recovers in the hospital.