
A 5-year-old girl is recovering after being shot in the leg during an alleged road rage incident. The suspected shooter, Charles Edward Stevenson Jr., has been arrested. Stevenson now faces multiple charges in relation to the shooting, including assault with a deadly weapon. Now, the girl is dealing with multiple surgeries as a result of the shooting. However, her family says that despite the challenges from the injury, the girl is doing well and is expected to recover.
The 5-year-old girl, whose name is Ema, was shot in the leg on Monday, June 30, 2025, WTVD reported. Shortly after 6 p.m., the girl was riding in a truck when she was shot in the leg on US 1 northbound in Cary, North Carolina. According to police, the shooting was a result of a road rage incident that started on US 64. Both cars exited on US 1, which is where the shooting occurred.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Cary First Responders, Wake County EMS personnel, and the exceptional medical team for their care, and we wish her well as she recovers,” Cary Police said in a release WTVD shared.
The girl’s mother, Gina, spoke with WRAL about the incident. She explained that the other driver, Charles Edward Stevenson Jr., was having a conflict with another driver. He threw something out of his window at another car before hitting the family’s car. Her husband caught up with Stevenson later on the highway. He then yelled out at Stevenson, who then fired his gun at the car.
The bullet went through Ema’s leg. “They found the bullet in her sippy cup,” Gina said.
Ema was taken to the hospital, and the family said that the bullet took out a chunk of her leg. “What an image that is. And it’s nothing that you hope happens in your own life,” the girl’s aunt, Aubree Allison, told WRAL. Despite the ordeal, the girl is in “great spirits,” a GoFundMe set up by family notes. She has undergone several surgeries, and will need physical therapy and counseling as a result of the incident.
Charles Edward Stevenson Jr., 20, was arrested on Tuesday, July 1, WRAL reported. He faces several charges, including assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and discharging a firearm into occupied property. He will return to court on July 23. No bond was issued.