On the evening of March 16, 2024, in Chadbourn, North Carolina, 7-year-old Antonio Jamal Maultsby Jr. was killed when gunfire erupted outside his grandmother’s mobile home on Braswell Road. Antonio was inside the residence when bullets penetrated the walls and fatally struck him; his grandmother, Martha Davis, was sitting beside him at the time.

The Columbus County Sheriff’s Office opened an investigation; no arrests have been announced. Sheriff Bill Rogers says family members and others at the scene have been reluctant to share information and that community cooperation is needed. A reward of $4,400 has been offered for information leading to an arrest. Vigils and fundraisers have been held in Chadbourn to honor Antonio and support the family.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office at (910) 642-6551.