Police: NC man arrested after killing his 13-year-old son, mother and sister

A Pender County man was arrested on Saturday after shooting and killing his mother, sister and 13-year-old son.

Posted 3:09 p.m. Jan 17, 2022 — Updated 3:39 p.m. Jan 17, 2022

WILMINGTON, N.C. — A Pender County man was arrested on Saturday after allegedly shooting and killing his mother, sister and 13-year-old son.

The family was all riding in the same car and were in the Landfall Center shopping complex in Wilmington. Police say that Wilbert Lamont Robinson, 40, from Hampstead, shot and killed his three family members inside the car at around 4 p.m. Police say he also shot himself and was taken to a local hospital for treatment, according to WECT.

Robinson is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and firing into an occupied vehicle.

The child killed was a middle school student at Surf City Middle School.

"The senseless loss of such a young life is difficult to understand," said Steven Hill, superintendent of Pender County Schools. "Anytime you lose a student, regardless of circumstance, it's felt across the district. We will be here for our students, faculty and staff who need any extra support over the days ahead."

Police say Robinson is responsible for killing his mother, 65-year-old Diretta Marie Robinson, and his sister 48-year-old Trina Lynnette Robinson. The name of the teenager was not released.

Officials said they did not know what motive Robinson had to kill his family.

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