Bullets Rip Through Monroe Home Packed With Family As Cops Nab Two Wingate Teens

Two Wingate men are facing felony charges after Monroe police say they sprayed at least 10 bullets into a Monroe home in December while young children and older adults were inside. The Dec. 10, 2025 shooting targeted a residence on the 400 block of West Sunset Drive, and officers say it is sheer luck that no one was hurt. The suspects, identified as 18-year-old Amaury Andrew Bowman and 19-year-old Bryce Jy’Mir Covington, are both charged with discharging a firearm into an occupied dwelling.

How Detectives Tracked the Suspects

Investigators say the case took months to assemble. According to a post on the Monroe Police Department, detectives traced the gunfire to shooters who opened fire from the baseball fields at Sunset Park, then ran off on foot. License-plate readers provided by Flock Safety helped officers identify and locate vehicles and people tied to the incident.

The department also credited teamwork across agencies, thanking the Union County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Marshals Service for helping track down the suspects.

Arrests, Booking and Charges

Both Bowman and Covington were taken into custody on Monday, officials said. Bowman was arrested at an address in Monroe, while Covington was located in Wingate. Each is charged with discharging a firearm into an occupied dwelling and was booked into the Union County Detention Center, as reported by WSOC-TV. Police say the arrests capped off a mix of community tips, investigative work and technology.

Legal Exposure

Under North Carolina law, willfully firing a gun into an occupied home is no minor offense. Discharging a firearm into an occupied dwelling is classified as a Class D felony, and the punishment increases if a victim is seriously injured, according to state law. For the statutory language, see the North Carolina General Assembly. Prosecutors will now decide whether to seek indictments and whether any additional charges should be filed.

A Neighborhood Left on Edge

The Sunset Drive shooting is the latest in a run of violent incidents in Monroe that have rattled neighbors and kept investigators busy. Earlier drive-by and targeted shootings have already stretched police resources and prompted multi-agency responses, as reported by WBTV. Residents and local leaders say arrests bring some relief but also highlight the need for longer-term prevention efforts.

“At the Monroe Police Department, we don't give up on cases, no matter how long they take,” Police Chief Rhett Bolen said in the department's announcement of the arrests. Officers are asking anyone with video or information about the Dec. 10 shooting to contact the Monroe Police Department or Union County Crime Stoppers.