On October 27, 2016, 3-year-old Liam Beason was shot and killed inside a home on Whisnant Street in Shelby, North Carolina. The shooting occurred about 7:45 a.m. and also claimed the life of Miranda Woods, who was staying in the house the night before; a man named Jerod Shippy was shot and taken to the hospital for surgery. Liam’s mother was in the home but escaped unharmed.

Authorities initially said the shooting did not appear random. Investigators later arrested three people in connection with the case: Mario Wilson, Morris Abraham, and Aubre Sucato. The three were charged with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted first-degree murder, attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, and conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon. Family members said Sucato had been a close friend of Liam’s mother and had lived with her around the time Liam was born.

The community responded with grief and information that police said helped the inquiry.