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KELFORD – A drive-by shooting here early Tuesday morning injured a nine-year-old child and left local law enforcement officers looking for suspects.

According to information provided by the Bertie Sheriff’s Office, Cpl. Keith Padgette and Deputy Alex Teal responded to a residence on Governor’s Road (NC 308) near Kelford at approximately 2:55 a.m. in reference to shots fired. Upon arrival on the scene the deputies observed that the front door of the residence had been struck by gunfire.

Once inside the residence, deputies learned that a female juvenile, age 9, had been struck by one of the projectiles. Bertie County EMS responded to the scene where they examined the juvenile and found that the projectile didn’t penetrate the skin and only glanced the lower left back. The juvenile was transported by Bertie County EMS to Vidant Roanoke Chowan Hospital in Ahoskie at the father’s request.

In additional to the 9-year-old, there was one other child and three adults in the residence at the time of the shooting. No one else was injured.

Deputies were able to locate multiple holes that entered the residence on the outside and also throughout the inside.

Bertie Sheriff’s Lt. Martin Phelps has been assigned this investigation and so far there has been no suspects developed.