Two juveniles are now in custody in connection with the fatal shooting of 68-year-old Pamela Shanks, who was killed while resting on her back porch in Gastonia earlier this month. One of the teens was caught trying to board a flight to Africa out of a Washington, D.C.-area airport, while the second was tracked down this week evading authorities in Upstate South Carolina.
Shanks was fatally shot Oct. 19 while resting on her rear porch at the Dwell Townhomes complex on Hillgate Avenue, west of Robinwood Road, according to WSOC-TV. Her family and friends have maintained that she was not the intended target of the gunfire, the station reports. That account lines up with what police told the Charlotte Observer, who said at the time that she was struck while on her porch and was not the intended target of the gun violence.
No Arrests for Days, Then a Break in the Case
In the days immediately following the shooting, investigators had no one in custody. The Charlotte Observer reported on Oct. 21 that a police statement issued Oct. 19 said no arrests had been made and detectives were continuing what police described as a very robust investigation. That changed fast: by Oct. 23, one of the two minors now linked to the case had been detained at Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C., as he attempted to depart for Africa, according to the same WSOC-TV report.
The second minor remained at large for days longer. He was captured Tuesday in Upstate South Carolina while evading authorities, the station’s report states. Gastonia police are withholding further details regarding the suspects because of their status as juveniles, leaving unanswered questions about their ages, how they were charged, or what led investigators to them specifically.
A Multi-Agency Manhunt
The arrests were the result of an inquiry conducted by Gastonia police investigators and analysts from the Real-Time Crime Center, per the same account. The pursuit was supported by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force, the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Shanks, described by those who knew her as someone simply resting on her own back porch when the gunfire erupted, has been remembered by family in earlier coverage of the shooting. A niece spoke about her loss to WBTV, and the station also reported on the Gaston County community’s reaction in the days after the shooting at a separate report.
With both juveniles now in custody, the investigation into exactly what happened on Hillgate Avenue continues. Gastonia police have not released further information about the suspects, and key details — including whether either will face charges as a juvenile or an adult — remain undisclosed.
