A local prosecutor said that shots fired at a Gastonia mall reflect the uptick of juvenile crime that has increased since the pandemic.
According to Gaston County’s District Attorney Travis Page, local officials have been working toward reducing the restrictions created by “raise the age,” an act that raised the age at which juveniles can be tried as adults from 16- to 18-years-old.
“Raise the Age” was signed into law in 2017. Then, in 2024, House Bill 834 established a provision under which teens who are 16- or 17-years-old can be tried in adult court for class A-E felonies, according to information from the North Carolina Department of Public Safety…