Two Iredell County schools operating remotely after deadly shooting

STATESVILLE, N.C. (WBTV) - Two Iredell County schools will have remote-learning days Friday after two teenagers were shot inside a Statesville home, killing one, on Wednesday night.

According to the Statesville Police Department, 19-year-old Zion Wilder and a 15-year-old were shot after unknown suspects fired multiple shots into a home on Goldsboro Avenue.

Wilder died from his injuries, while the other victim was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

In addition to Wilder and the 15-year-old being inside the home, three other minors, aged 14, 16 and 17 years old, were also inside the house at the time of the fatal incident.

Following the shooting, multiple Iredell-Statesville Schools campuses were placed on Security Alerts on Thursday, with classes canceled altogether at Northview Academy.

On Friday, students at Northview Academy and Statesville High School operated on a remote basis.

“It’s pretty frightening,” student Abigail Sarver told WBTV.

Sarver is a Crossroads Arts and Science student, an early college program housed within Statesville High School.

Her program did not go to remote learning Friday, but she says it’s a good move for the others.

“Just incase there are people involved they aren’t at school, and tensions aren’t rising and there aren’t fights,” Sarver said.

She says there was a Security Alert in place Thursday at Statesville High.

“When we left we got escorted a hallway at a time, and we had to go through the stairwell all the way down to the first floor and exit through the sides of the buildings,” she said.

This kind of violence involving teens is making students like Sarver feel nervous about going to school.

“A few months ago there was also a pretty big fight at Statesville,” she said. “Tensions have definitely rose recently.”

School district officials said the decision to switch to remote learning was to keep “students safe and focused on learning.”

Officials said they will continue to work with police to ensure the safety of students and staff.

Related: Man killed, 15-year-old injured in Goldsboro Ave. shooting in Statesville

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