Suspects in Smithfield shootings face judge

Cornel Breon Harper, Mister Premier Height, and Sameer Ibn Muhammod Edgar were arrested Thursday afternoon in the Wednesday evening attack on Jalissa Wallace and Jeremiah Wallace, 8.

The trio, facing a total of 78 charges, were appointed public defenders and ordered to remain in the Johnston County jail under a $2 million bond each. Probable cause hearings were also set for Sept. 20.

Harper, 35, of 509 Lincoln St., Kinston, and Edgar, 26, of Detroit, each face two counts of attempted first-degree murder, six counts of inflicting serious injury with a deadly weapon and 18 counts of discharging a firearm into an occupied dwelling.

Height, 22, of 1402 E. Shine St., Kinston, faces 24 counts of accessory after the fact of discharging a firearm into an occupied dwelling and two counts of accessory after the fact of attempted murder.

Arrest warrants indicate Height drove Edgar and Harper to Wallace's apartment on Towbridge Drive, where Jalissa Wallace was shot in the neck and Jeremiah was shot five times.

According to 911 calls released Thursday afternoon, Jalissa Wallace's sister reported someone breaking into the house around 8 p.m. Wednesday.

A neighbor also reported to authorities that she saw two men leaving the house in separate cars after hearing gunshots.

Smithfield police have not commented on a motive but have said it was neither random nor domestic in nature.

Jalissa Wallace and her son were both in serious condition at a local hospital Friday morning, according to authorities.

Jeremiah Wallace is a second-grader at South Smithfield Elementary School, where students are rallying around him, creating care packages, cards and pictures for him.

His principal, Carla Taylor, released a statement through Johnston County Schools Friday morning, calling him "a compassionate child, who is kind to others and loves to be the class helper."

"He is a beloved student and member of our school family," she said.