Jacobia English Lane, a 39-year-old African American woman from Sumter, South Carolina, was tragically killed on October 22, 2016, in Gastonia, North Carolina. Lane was in town to attend her sister-in-law's funeral when she was struck by a bullet in the back of her head while sitting on a couch inside her brother's home. The incident occurred around 12:30 a.m. when approximately 30 bullets were fired into the house from a high-powered rifle.
Lane's 13-year-old son and 16-year-old daughter witnessed her death, and a teen in the home was also hit in the arm but survived.
The shooting was described as a "senseless, unprovoked act of violence" by family spokesman Christopher Dennis. Lane's brother, Tim English, who was also the deceased woman's widower, expressed his grief and disbelief over the incident. Despite the presence of 27 people in the house at the time of the shooting, no one else was injured. The police have been actively seeking the public's help in identifying the shooter, but as of now, no arrests have been made, and the investigation remains ongoing.
The family has been left devastated by the loss, and the community has been urged to come forward with any information that could lead to the apprehension of the perpetrator. The police continue to search for the gunman responsible for this tragic event, but so far, there have been no significant leads or breakthroughs in the case. The senseless nature of the crime has left many in the community shaken and seeking justice for Jacobia English Lane and her family.
