Well wishes pour in for wounded student

CUMBERLAND COUNTY

The 15-year-old freshman is currently in critical condition and on a ventilator. Officials have said she will need to undergo a second surgery after she was shot in the neck with a .22 caliber rifle while eating lunch outside a building on Cape Fear High School's campus off Clinton Road Monday.

A student organized prayer walk attracted almost 300 people Wednesday evening. The group marched -- some in silence while others chanted or sang songs. They stopped and prayed at Cape Fear High School and Mac Williams Middle School for Abercrombie's recovery.

Just after 1 p.m. Monday, witnesses said they heard a popping noise and saw the 15-year-old fall to the ground bleeding, but no one saw a gun.

Investigators said surveillance footage showed two students carrying a rifle inside the school. A .22 caliber rifle was recovered inside the building and a shell casing was discovered in a breezeway.

Eighteen-year-old Ta'Von McLaurin, and a 15-year-old, who authorities did not name because of his age, were taken into custody at their Cumberland County homes Monday night.

Sources have informed ABC11 that the 15-year-old is Charles Underwood Jr. of Johnston Road.

Cumberland County Superintendent Dr. Franklin Till said that both students were in the 9th grade.

McLaurin is charged with felony aiding and abetting. Bond was set at $250,000. Underwood will go to juvenile court. He has a hearing Thursday. He is charged with attempted first-degree murder and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill.

Cumberland County Sheriff Earl "Moose" Butler said Monday there was no reason to believe Abercrombie was the intended target. He estimated the rifle was fired from about 50 to 100 feet outside the cafeteria's double doors.

Abercrombie's parents said she was able to nod her head Monday evening in response to questions from investigators.

Since the incident, there has been an outpouring from people on social networking sites, wishing Abercrombie a speedy recovery.

Click here for the Prayers for Catilyn Abercrombie Facebook page

Cape Fear High School students have also planned a "Walk and Prayer" at 7 p.m. Wednesday for the recovering freshman.

Students will gather across the street from the high school at the East Regional Branch of the Cumberland County Public Library on Clinton Road. They are expected to walk to Mac Williams Middle School and then back to Cape Fear High School, where they will have a prayer circle. Students are encouraged to wear school colors or pink.

Cape Fear High and nearby Mac Williams were put on "code-red" lockdown for over an hour Monday until the campuses were secured.

Some parents told ABC11 shortly after the shooting that their children told them about trouble brewing on campus and that they wanted more security.

Till said there are metal detectors at Cape Fear, but they were not in use Monday. The following day, every student at the high school had to go through metal detectors before going to class.

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