Three family members were killed Friday in a stabbing, including an older woman and two children, according to Fayetteville police.
Around 9 a.m., officers with the Fayetteville Police Department responded to a stabbing at a home in the 200 block of Bellarthur Lane.
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In a press conference at 11:45 a.m., Kem Braden, Fayetteville's chief of police, said a resident inside the home called 911 to report the stabbing.
Three people were pronounced dead at the scene.
Two of the victims were juveniles, Braden confirmed, and the third victim was later identified as 77-year-old Beatrice Desir. WRAL News is not naming the juvenile victims.
Police said all three victims and the suspect knew each other and lived in the home.
There is no threat to community, police said. According to court documents, police arrested 26-year-old Mackendy Darbouze and charged him with three counts of murder.
Sky 5 flew over the neighborhood at 11:30 a.m. A house was blocked off with crime scene tape, and multiple authorities were at the scene.
Paula Garcia watched the search of the home from her porch as police tape cut across the neighborhood.
"I though, 'Oh, okay. This is just somebody died in the house. This has to be a crime scene," she said. "When it hits this close, it just doesn't seem real."
This neighborhood is dotted with large homes and friendly neighbors who said the deadly stabbing was surprising.
"It’s definitely a shock because it’s not normal," said Shayla Creighton, a neighbor.
"It’s a super quiet neighborhood. Nothing happens here," added Nicole Anderson.
WRAL News connected with Anderson on Facebook.
"I expected it was a car break-in or something, even something stolen from a front porch or something, but not this," Anderson said.
Anderson said the family moved in less than one year ago. Real estate records show they purchased the home in mid-March of last year.
Anderson said the family mainly spoke French and were pretty quiet.
She’d seen two kids in the backyard, one about her 12-year-old daughter’s age and another a bit younger.
"The kids were sweet," Anderson said. "They’d come out and run the fence with the dog. They’d play soccer. They set up paint cans in the backyard."
Many in the neighborhood are left with one question: Why?
"I want to know why," she said, adding that "nothing's that important" to warrant being stabbed.
Due to their ages, the names of the juvenile victims will not be shared with the public. Darbouze will make his first court appearance on Monday.
The stabbing is under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective B. Campbell at 910-813-8012 or Crimestoppers at 910-483-TIPS (8477).