Uncle faces several charges after Rocky Mount 10-year-old shot with stolen, unsecured gun

James Mercer Jr. is charged with allegedly possessing a stolen weapon and failing to keep it out of the reach of a minor.

On Jan. 3, at 11:52 pm, the Rocky Mount Police responded to a shooting on Dexter Street. They found a 10-year-old boy with a gunshot wound, and he was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

An investigation revealed that three juveniles found an unsecured handgun in the house and were playing with it.

Accidentally, one of the juveniles fired the gun, injuring the 10-year-old.

The police found and took the gun, uncovering that it had been stolen in a previous incident in 2021 in Rocky Mount.

Further investigation revealed that the gun was left unsecured by Mercer who is the uncle of the victim. He was arrested on Jan. 3 on an unrelated charge and had an outstanding warrant for possession of a schedule 1 controlled substance in Wilson County. Mercer was released on a $1,500 unsecured bond.

Following additional investigation, a new arrest warrant was issued for Mercer for possession of a stolen firearm and failure to secure a firearm from a minor. Mercer was arrested on

Jan. 6 and was issued no bond on the new charges.

He was taken to the Nash County Jail.

The Rocky Mount Police Department Criminal Investigation Division continues investigating the incident and encourages anyone with information to contact them at 252-972-1411 or Crimestoppers at 252-977-1111.