Girl, eight, is killed and two boys, nine and 10, are injured in two drive-by shootings just two blocks apart during night of bloodshed in North Carolina

An eight-year-old girl has been killed and a nine-year-old boy wounded in a drive-by shooting just 90 minutes before a third child was injured in another attack two blocks away in a night of bloodshed in North Carolina.   

Ah'miyahh Howell, who has been named by her family as the deceased victim in the shooting, had been playing outside a house in Statesville with a boy, aged nine, when they were shot by a suspect driving in a car. 

Just 90 minutes later, a 10-year-old boy was shot and injured in another suspected drive-by shooting. 

Statesville Police Department said they do not believe the children were the 'intended targets' and urged the public who witnessed the murder and wounding of 'innocent children' to contact them. 

Ah'miyahh Howell has been named by her family as the deceased victim in the shooting in Statesville

Ah'miyahh Howell, who has been named by her family as the deceased victim in the shooting, had been playing outside a house in Statesville with a boy, aged nine, when they were shot by a suspect driving in a car. Just 90 minutes later, a 10-year-old boy was shot and injured in another suspected drive-by shooting 

Officers responded to reports of a shooting and rushed to 1309 Wilson Lee Boulevard at 6.56 pm on Monday.  

Police said in a statement they found a nine-year-old girl and a seven-year-old boy suffering gunshot wounds. But speaking to DailyMail.com, family members identified Ah-miyahh as the victim and said she was eight. They also said the boy was Al'miyahh's cousin and was aged nine, not seven. 

As the officers arrived on the scene, they began life saving efforts before medics arrived and took them to the hospital.  

Witnesses told police a white car, believed to be a Mercedes, was heading southbound on the 1300 block of Wilson Lee Boulevard with the suspect shooting from inside the vehicle, the police said in a statement. 

Ah'miyahh later died in hospital as a result of the gunshot wounds while the nine-year-old boy is being treated for his injuries. 

An eight-year-old girl has been killed and a nine-year-old boy wounded in a drive-by shooting just 90 minutes before a third child was injured in another attack two blocks away in a night of bloodshed in North Carolina

While investigators were processing the crime scene at 1309 Wilson Lee Boulevard, police officers heard gunshots at 8.34 pm, around 90 minutes after the first shooting. 

The officers responded to 316 New Bern Avenue where they found a 10-year-old boy suffering a non-life threatening gunshot wound, police said. 

Witnesses told police that a white car, believed to be a Honda Accord, drove by with a suspect shooting from inside the vehicle.   

Kendalen Howell, who says her granddaughter Ah'miyahh was killed and her nine-year-old nephew injured in the first shooting, told DailyMail.com that the shooter had murdered an innocent child. 

She said: 'My granddaughter was a sweet eight-year-old girl that was just playing in my sister's yard. 

Kendalen Howell with her granddaughter Ah'miyahh who was killed in the shooting

'They killed an innocent child and me and my family are hurting.' 

Howell, 39, added: 'My granddaughter loved life. She liked TikTok, she loved her mama and baby brother. She was so full of life. I can't believe she's gone.' 

She said her nephew and Al'miyahh's cousin, who is aged nine, was also shot in the leg in the incident. 

When asked what she would say to the shooter, Howell said: 'Why y'all shoot these kids they had nothing to do with nothing.'

Howell told WSOC TV: 'It makes me very upset that you took my granddaughter away from me. She didn't even get to live her life. 

She didn't get to grow up. None of that. And then you shot my nephew too... His leg and pelvic bone is broke.

'You just shot innocent kids. Y'all didn't care who y'all hit. You just hit anybody.' 

The police department said in a statement: 'We are actively investigating these cases and asking if anyone has information regarding these violent crimes, please contact the Statesville Police Department. 

'If you saw the murder of this innocent child and injuries to the other innocent children, you must help in solving these cases. 

'If you have evidence or information regarding the shooters, please contact us. We do not believe the children were the intended targets.'