A 39-year-old man from Charlotte, North Carolina, shot at a van on Sunday night, hitting a 3-year-old toddler. The toddler was injured in the shooting over a parking spot at an apartment complex.
The child, who was seated in the front passenger seat, was struck by a bullet in the lower back. He was rushed to the hospital and is expected to survive, authorities said.
A police report said the child was in the van with his father.
James Raeford was charged with multiple felonies, including assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and six counts of discharging a weapon into an occupied property.
Raeford has allegedly been arrested 19 times before the shooting.
Raeford appeared before a judge on Tuesday for his first court appearance. The judge granted him a $500,000 secured bond and an electronic ankle monitor. Additionally, he cannot have contact with the prosecuting witness.
An affidavit said Raeford admitted to police authorities that he shot into the van because he believed the victim’s car was parked too close to his.
Raeford allegedly told officers he thought he was going to be run over by the victim’s van, leading him to pull the trigger.
Raeford’s next court appearance is set for November 5.
The 19 prior arrests suggest a lengthy criminal history where previous interventions by the justice system failed to deter Raeford from violent behavior, raising questions about whether he should have been incarcerated or under stricter supervision before this shooting occurred.
The 3-year-old child’s placement in the front passenger seat rather than a rear child safety seat may violate North Carolina child restraint laws, though the focus remains on Raeford’s actions rather than the father’s vehicle safety decisions.
The lower back gunshot wound’s expected survival outcome reflects fortunate bullet trajectory that apparently missed vital organs and the spine, though the child likely faces surgery, recovery time, and potential long-term complications from the injury.
Six counts of discharging a weapon into an occupied property indicates Raeford fired multiple shots at the van, demonstrating sustained rather than reflexive action that undermines his claim of feeling immediately threatened by the vehicle.
The $500,000 secured bond represents a high bail amount intended to keep Raeford incarcerated pending trial, though secured bonds require posting the full amount or 10% to a bondsman, creating financial barriers to release.
Electronic ankle monitoring as a bond condition allows authorities to track Raeford’s location if he posts bail, though such devices only provide location data and cannot prevent further violent acts if he is released.
The “assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill” charge carries severe penalties under North Carolina law, potentially resulting in decades of imprisonment if convicted, particularly given the victim’s age and Raeford’s criminal history.
Raeford’s admission to police that he shot because the van was parked “too close” demonstrates irrational escalation over a trivial parking dispute, suggesting anger management issues or mental health problems that prior arrests apparently did not address.
The no-contact order with the prosecuting witness protects the child’s father from intimidation or retaliation while the case proceeds, though enforcement depends on Raeford remaining in custody or complying with electronic monitoring if released.
The November 5 court date provides time for prosecutors to build their case while Raeford remains jailed if unable to post the $500,000 bond, with preliminary hearings determining whether sufficient evidence exists to proceed to trial.
