Child shot as 40 bullets riddle Aberdeen home

ABERDEEN, N.C. (WTVD) -- An 11-year-old boy was shot in the arm when 40 rounds were fired into an Aberdeen home.

Aberdeen Police said it happened in the area of Victory Lane on Wednesday.

Police said that the more than three dozen rounds were fired from three different caliber weapons.

The boy was caught in the crossfire and shot in the arm. He was taken to First Health for treatment and later released from the hospital.

Southern Pines Police and Moore County deputies also responded to the scene.

A neighbor heard the gunshots.

"'You know how sometimes fireworks and guns sound exactly the same? That's what exactly sounded like to me," said Azaria McPhatter. "So I was like, someone's just playing around and making a whole lot of noise. So I stopped everything that I was doing, I muted my friends, and I told (her) to turn off whatever she was playing, so I could hear what was going on. It stopped after a while, and that's ... OK, there's something wrong."

Police are still investigating why this house was targeted by all that gunfire.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to please contact Detective Vaughn at (910) 944-4554 or report anonymously to the tip line at (910) 944-4561.