LUMBERTON — A Lumberton teenager is in the Robeson County jail under a $2 million bond after being arrested and charged in a shooting last week that has left a 24-year-old man fighting for his life.

According to a statement by police Capt. Terry Parker, Jacob Hill, 19, of Kings Cross Road, was taken into custody after his home was searched on Wednesday by police, SBI agents and Erich Hackney, an investigator with the District Attorney’s Office.

Hill is charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, shooting into an occupied vehicle, and two counts of shooting into occupied property. Additional drug charges were brought against Hill on Thursday.

Nathaniel Lepine, of the 1400 block of East 11th Street, was shot multiple times at about 1 p.m. Friday at 21st and Walnut streets, one of the city’s main entries from North Lumberton into the downtown area. He was treated initially at Southeastern Regional Medical Center and then transferred to an undisclosed hospital.

Parker said previously that police who responded to the call found a red Honda with the injured Lepine inside. A white vehicle had been seen leaving the area.

According to Hackney, the white vehicle was registered to Hill. Hackney said an assault rifle was used in the shooting.

According to Hackney, when presenting evidence to District Attorney Johnson Britt, Britt said: “Nineteen-year-old kids should have a basketball in the back seat of their car, not assault rifles.”

A man who did not want his name published told a reporter last wee he was walking his dog when he heard rapid gunfire.

“At first I thought that it had to be a AR-15, it had to have been a clip that holds a lot of rounds,” he said. “It was more than 20 shots. It was a lot. When I got there, I realized it was a crime scene. There was a bullet-riddled red car in the middle of the road.

“The car was pretty shot up with bullet holes in the windshield, the car body, and at least one flat tire on the right rear.”

Hackney said Hill was charged with additional drug crimes Thursday morning, including possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, possession of Xanax, maintaining a drug dwelling and possession of drug paraphernalia. He said digital scales, $3,175 in cash and two more firearms were seized from Hill’s bedroom.

His bond on the drug charges was set at $10,000.

The shooting triggered a lot of talk on social media by people who were in the neighborhood at the time and concerned it could happen in a relatively safe neighborhood and in broad daylight.

Anyone with additional information concerning this ongoing investigation may contact Detectives David Williford or Charles Keenum at the Lumberton Police Department 910-671-3845.

Angelica Chavis McIntyre, an assistant district attorney who lives nearby, put this on Facebook: “A drive-by shooting occurred in front of our house today during lunch. One of our neighbors had to lay on the ground while bullets shot through his home, while other neighbors attempted to assist the victim who was shot. I am thankful for the swift response of the Lumberton Police Department and proud of our wonderful neighbors. It’s very sad and scary that this type of violence occurred during the daytime in the middle of a neighborhood. It’s our prayer that our county can work together to put a stop to the violence.”

Hill was critically injured in May 2017 during a shootout in the Godwin Heights area of town involving several young people. He and several others were charged in that incident. Those charges are still pending.

In that incident, the targeted youth who was himself armed was stopped by Councilman Burnis Wilkins as he ran through a neighborhood in broad daylight. Wilkins detained the youth and called police, who questioned him.

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Donnie Douglas

Editor

Editor Donnie Douglas can be reached at 910-416-5649 or [email protected].