‘I knew': Woman grieves loss of unborn child following arrest of second shooting suspect
A Gastonia shooting left multiple people injured and an unborn baby dead in March, police said. Two arrests have been made, but a mother is still grieving her baby, who would have been a month old by now.
Alyssa Raine was 17 years old and nine months pregnant when she said two masked men broke into a Gastonia motel room and killed the baby she never got the chance to meet.
She told Channel 9's Ken Lemon that even though the shooting happened in March, it's still very real for her.
'Every night is hard to go to sleep, the same scene replays over and over in my head,' Raine said.
She said the two masked men carried guns and forced their way into the room at the Ecolodge.
Jadedic Black was arrested and charged in Gaffney on Thursday, police said.
READ: 2 charged in shooting that left unborn baby dead, multiple hurt at Gastonia hotel
Police arrested their first shooting suspect, Trinity Hopper, last week. Both are behind bars, charged in connection with the death of Raine's unborn child.
She said she recognized Hopper from the robbery.
Raine said Hopper pushed her onto the ground after she told the men she was nine months pregnant. She got up, told a friend to call the police, and then heard gunfire.
'I had nowhere to go, and the bullet hit me straight in my stomach,' she said.
Raine said she felt her little girl react.
'I knew from the moment that I was shot when I felt my daughter curl up inside of me, and I felt no more movement,' she said.
And she said it has been difficult ever since.
'I had to spend my first Mother's Day without a daughter,' Raine said.
Lemon asked her if there was anything she wanted the suspects to know.
'I forgive them,' she responded. 'Because if I don't, I'll never be able to heal, and I'll always hold that over them.'
Raine told Lemon that even though she forgives them, she still can't excuse what happened. She said she hopes they never get out of jail.
Hopper has been indicted and Black is waiting to be extradited to North Carolina to face a judge.
No additional details have been made available.
This is a developing story. Check back with wsoctv.com for updates.
WATCH: 2 charged in shooting that left unborn baby dead, multiple hurt at Gastonia hotel
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Yahoo
Central Florida law enforcement gears up for national protests
Law enforcement authorities are making arrangements for a day of nationwide protests that is scheduled for Saturday, June 14th. More than a dozen demonstrations are planned across major Central Florida cities, with at least one organized protest planned in Volusia, Seminole, Orange, Lake, Osceola and Brevard counties. According to organizers, a protest scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. outside Orlando City Hall is expected to draw more than 1,000 people. According to Channel 9, organizers have also reported that over 2,000 people have RSVPed for protests at the US 1 and SR 520 intersection in Cocoa, with more than 500 people expected to attend another demonstration at Florida 44 and Mission Drive in New Smyrna Beach. According to the organizers, they're planning to demonstrate on Flag Day, coincidentally also President Trump's birthday. Organizers say they're coming together to protest the president's plans for a military parade in Washington, D.C., and to show opposition to growing authoritarianism under the Trump Administration. Organizers call the event 'No Kings Day,' and they write on their website, 'A core principle behind all No Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation.' Amid unrest in California, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier emphasized that Florida law clearly prohibits rioting and includes enhanced penalties for those who break that law. Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey also issued a stern warning to Floridians during a press conference in Titusville on Thursday. 'If you throw a brick, a firebomb, or point a gun at one of our deputies, we will be notifying your family where to collect your remains, because we will kill you graveyard dead,' Ivey said. On Friday, Channel 9 heard from Law Enforcement in Seminole, Osceola, Volusia and Orange Counties, who said they were aware of protests and were making necessary preparations. Most departments declined to provide specifics for security reasons. A spokesperson for the Orlando Police Department said, 'The Orlando Police Department is aware of the protest taking place downtown tomorrow and has made all necessary preparations. While OPD does not discuss specific security measures, we always assess the needs of large-scale events to make sure enough staff are on hand to protect and serve our community.' You can find more information on protests planned across the country here. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Yahoo
Local woman loses loved ones in devastating fire, advocates for fire safety
Fire can reach a flashpoint in moments, which is why the Bureau of Fire, Arson and Explosives recommends planning your escape now. Channel 9 attended the Bureau's Safe Kids Day at Andretti Thrill Park in Melbourne this week, joined by Layza Warren. Her sister, Betty Mendre, her niece, Zayla and her nephew, Emmanuel, all lost their lives in a condo fire in Palm Bay. Sadly, only their older brother survived the January tragedy. Warren told us, ' Educate yourselves and be prepared so that if it does ever happen, you're able to survive it.' Investigators have ruled that the fire that took Mendre's life was accidental, likely caused by an electrical issue. Warren's sister was a local business owner. 'She was an insurance broker who was passionate about teaching her clients and the community about Medicaid or Medicare. She did whatever she could to make sure her clients were taken care of. And the outreach in this community, she impacted a lot of lives, educating them. Regarding insurance,' said Warren. Warren hopes her sister's story will continue to inspire others by encouraging them to ensure that even the youngest members of their families know where to find all the windows and doors in their homes, that they open easily, have working smoke detectors and that a safe place is designated to meet a distance away from their homes. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
‘I knew': Woman grieves loss of unborn child following arrest of second shooting suspect
A Gastonia shooting left multiple people injured and an unborn baby dead in March, police said. Two arrests have been made, but a mother is still grieving her baby, who would have been a month old by now. Alyssa Raine was 17 years old and nine months pregnant when she said two masked men broke into a Gastonia motel room and killed the baby she never got the chance to meet. She told Channel 9's Ken Lemon that even though the shooting happened in March, it's still very real for her. 'Every night is hard to go to sleep, the same scene replays over and over in my head,' Raine said. She said the two masked men carried guns and forced their way into the room at the Ecolodge. Jadedic Black was arrested and charged in Gaffney on Thursday, police said. READ: 2 charged in shooting that left unborn baby dead, multiple hurt at Gastonia hotel Police arrested their first shooting suspect, Trinity Hopper, last week. Both are behind bars, charged in connection with the death of Raine's unborn child. She said she recognized Hopper from the robbery. Raine said Hopper pushed her onto the ground after she told the men she was nine months pregnant. She got up, told a friend to call the police, and then heard gunfire. 'I had nowhere to go, and the bullet hit me straight in my stomach,' she said. Raine said she felt her little girl react. 'I knew from the moment that I was shot when I felt my daughter curl up inside of me, and I felt no more movement,' she said. And she said it has been difficult ever since. 'I had to spend my first Mother's Day without a daughter,' Raine said. Lemon asked her if there was anything she wanted the suspects to know. 'I forgive them,' she responded. 'Because if I don't, I'll never be able to heal, and I'll always hold that over them.' Raine told Lemon that even though she forgives them, she still can't excuse what happened. She said she hopes they never get out of jail. Hopper has been indicted and Black is waiting to be extradited to North Carolina to face a judge. No additional details have been made available. This is a developing story. Check back with for updates. WATCH: 2 charged in shooting that left unborn baby dead, multiple hurt at Gastonia hotel
