Suspect arrested in Tuesday's shooting at Oak St./Harmon St. 
On the evening of Tuesday, June 23, 2020, the Forest City Police Department responded to a call for police services that reported a child had been shot inside of a car on Oak Street.
When officers arrived on scene, they found two individuals removing Aaliyah Norris, 7 years of age, from a maroon in color passenger car. It was also discovered that she was suffering from a single gunshot wound to the head. Officers immediately requested assistance from the Forest City Fire Department and Rutherford County Emergency Medical Services. A short time later medical personnel requested further assistance from Regional One air ambulance. Upon arrival of Regional One, the victim was transported to Spartanburg Regional Hospital for treatment. As of this release, the victim is still in critical condition at the hospital.
As officers with the police department began to investigate the shooting, they began receiving calls from the community with information regarding the incident as well as assistance from local, state and federal law enforcement partners.
As the investigation progressed, detectives with the department learned that the suspected offender in the incident was Shaquille Marshon Francis, 26 years of age, from Forest City.
On Wednesday, June 24, 2020, officers with the Forest City Police Department were able to take Mr. Francis into custody without incident. Currently he has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury with intent to kill, discharging a weapon into occupied property inflicting serious bodily injury, and discharging a firearm within the city limits. He is currently being held in the Rutherford County Detention Center in lieu of a $1,000,000.00 secured bond.
The Forest City Police Department was assisted in this incident and would like to thank several law enforcement partners. Those partners included the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, the US Marshal Service-Carolina Regional Fugitive Task Force, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Spindale Police Department, the Rutherford County Fire Marshal, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Tryon Police Department, the Forest City Fire Department, Rutherford County EMS, and the Rutherford County Traffic Control Unit.
The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Forest City Police Department or Rutherford County Communications to speak with an officer. Information can also be sent to Rutherford County Crime Stoppers at 286-TIPS.
Contact: Detective McCraw
Forest City PD: 828-245-5555
Forest City PD Fax: 828-248-5206
Rutherford County Communications: 828-286-2911
Address/Location
Forest City Police Department
187 S Church St
Forest City, NC 28043
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 828-245-5555
