What did Robert Louis Singletary do? Suspect accused of shooting 6-year old girl taken into custody

On Thursday, April 20, North Carolina man Robert Louis Singletary turned himself in after a two-day search. Singletary is the prime accused in the non-fatal shooting of a 6-year-old girl Kinsley White and her parents after they entered his backyard to retrieve a basketball. He is facing four counts of first-degree attempted murder.

Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of gun violence. Readers' discretion is advised.

According to the BBC, Robert Louis Singletary has a history of violent crime. The suspect was previously charged for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend with a sledgehammer in December 2022. He currently remains under police custody.

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The timeline of the recent allegations against Robert Louis Singletary

In an interview with WBTV, a witness identified as Jonathan Robertson described the chain of events. He said the children were playing basketball in the street before the ball rolled into John Louis Singletary's property.

At the time, the 6-year-old victim was supposedly not around the basketball game and was riding her bicycle, while her parents were having a barbecue.

After the children went to retrieve the ball, the suspect reportedly shouted at them. Subsequently, the 6-year-old shooting victim's father arrived at the scene to confront Singletary about the matter. Afterward, Singletary allegedly entered his home and re-emerged armed with a pistol.

Witnesses claim that he then began firing at the 6-year-old and her parents. Singletary is accused of subsequently running up and down the street, firing brazenly at neighbors before running out of bullets.

Kinsley White was reportedly injured in the cheek by a bullet fragment. Her mother, Ashley Hildebrand, suffered a grazing bullet wound to the elbow, while her father, William James White, was shot in the back. The father suffered injuries to his liver and his lung.

Kinsley White said of the incident:

“He came out with a gun, he started shooting. Hope my daddy is OK."

She said in a separate interview:

"The bullet came back and the bullet went in my cheek."

Jonathan Robertson said of the shooting:

"We just never expected it in a million years. We never expected anybody would break a gun out amongst all those kids."

Robert Louis Singletary fled the area soon after. During the search for him, authorities described him as "Armed and dangerous." On Thursday, two days after the shooting, he surrendered without incident.

Stephen Zill, Chief of the Gaston County Police Department, condemned the suspect's actions. He said:

“I want to say to the people of Gaston County—this sort of violence will not stand.”

As per the Daily Beast, witnesses said that Robert Louis Singletary had lived in the area for less than a month before the incident. He was known to admonish children over inconsequential matters.