CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A 16-year-old accused of shooting a pregnant teenager last weekend turned himself in on Friday, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police said.
Raquan Cortez Smith was charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury.
The shooting happened at a busy strip mall on Beatties Ford Road Saturday evening. Alani Blake, 19, was rushed to the hospital where her baby girl was delivered.
On Monday, NBC Charlotte talked to an employee at an arcade in the strip mall who said she knows the victim. She added Blake was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
After being shot, the pregnant teen ran into an arcade for help, according to an employee who asked that her face not be shown. She said she arrived at work shortly after the shooting happened.
“There was a lot of blood everywhere,” the employee said.
She said Blake came through the door of the arcade pleading for help.
“'I'm shot, I'm shot, call 911!'” the employee described the victim saying. “When she got shot, she dropped on the floor, and she ran in and let my security know," she said.
“It did happen at the gas station and she just happened to run in here,” the employee said.
The employee said the victim was a customer of the arcade. According to the police report, Blake did not know the suspects.
“She’s a great person, wrong place at the wrong time, she wasn't the intended target,” the employee said.
The employee said she’s been in touch with the child’s father about how the mom and daughter are doing.
“She’s fine, she's stable right now, the baby is also fine,” the employee said. NBC Charlotte has not been able to confirm any information about the condition of either of the victims with the hospital.
“We’re hoping for the very best, and she's strong, and the baby's strong and they're fighters,” the employee said.
Anyone who has more information about this case should contact the VCAT hotline at 704-336-8228, call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.