Gastonia, N.C. - June 10, 2022: Detectives from the Gastonia Police Department (GPD) have arrested and charged a 17-year-male for the first-degree murder of Lamar McCoy, age 20, of Gastonia, that occurred yesterday afternoon outside a gas station. Investigators do not believe that this homicide was random and continue working to determine a motive for this murder and how the victim and suspect knew each other. Due to the defendant’s age, North Carolina law prohibits the release of his name and photo.
At approximately 4:49 p.m. on June 9, GPD officers along with Fire and Rescue personnel responded to a gas station located in the 500 block of N. Chester Street for the report of a shooting that just occurred.
First responders found McCoy deceased from apparent gunshot wounds in the passenger side of a car parked by a gas pump. Investigators later located a handgun inside the car near McCoy that had been reported stolen in South Carolina. Detectives are working to determine who was in possession of this stolen handgun at the time of McCoy’s murder.
During the investigation, detectives identified a 17-year-old male as the suspect who shot McCoy. The juvenile was located and arrested early this morning and is now charged with first-degree murder.
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