Crime
Daycare Owner Jessica Gracia Identified in Upper Saucon Township Break-In and Fatal Shooting
Lehigh County, PA – Authorities have identified the woman involved in an armed break-in that led to a fatal shooting early Thursday morning in Upper Saucon Township.
Police say the suspect, Jessica Gracia, forcibly entered a home on West Hopewell Road while armed with a firearm and opened fire before taking her own life.
Investigators have since uncovered that Gracia was the owner of a 24/7 daycare facility, Olivia’s Family Daycare, which operated out of a home on Washington Avenue in Northampton Borough.
According to Northampton County property records, she had purchased the residence in the 1900 block of Washington Avenue on New Year’s Eve.
Neighbors confirmed that the home had recently been on the market and was sold, with one resident stating they only became aware of the daycare’s presence two weeks ago after observing children being dropped off and picked up by adults.
A woman who previously owned the Washington Avenue home revealed that Gracia had disclosed running a business from the residence.
At the time of the closing sale, Gracia was also a single parent to her 19-month-old daughter.
Despite these developments, authorities have yet to confirm a motive behind the violent incident.
It remains unclear why Gracia, a daycare owner and mother, would break into the home while armed.
The investigation is ongoing, and police have not released any additional details regarding potential connections between Gracia and the residents of the targeted home.
Crime
Victims Identified in Deadly Robeson County Mass Shooting
Two Dead, 13 Injured in Mass Shooting at Large Party in Robeson County, North Carolina
ROBESON COUNTY, N.C. — A late-night party in eastern North Carolina turned deadly early Saturday morning when gunfire erupted, leaving two people dead and 13 others injured, according to the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Burnis Wilkins confirmed that deputies were called to the scene on Dixon Drive, just outside the town of Maxton, at approximately 3:00 a.m. following reports of a shooting at a large outdoor gathering attended by more than 150 people.
When deputies arrived, chaos had already unfolded — witnesses said over 150 individuals fled the area before law enforcement could secure the scene.
Authorities identified the deceased victims as Jessie Locklear and his son Nehemiah Locklear.
Several other victims sustained critical injuries and were transported to area hospitals for emergency treatment.
Sheriff Wilkins stated that, based on preliminary findings, the shooting appears to have been an isolated incident, and there is no ongoing threat to the wider community.
The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from multiple agencies, continues to investigate the circumstances that led to the violence.
Detectives are working to determine the motive and identify all parties involved.
Authorities are urging anyone with information—or anyone who attended the gathering and witnessed the incident—to contact the Robeson County Sheriff’s Investigators at 910-671-3100.
“We know there were many people present when this occurred,” Sheriff Wilkins said. “If you saw something or know something, we need you to come forward to help bring justice to the victims and their families.”