PINEVILLE, N.C. — A 5-year-old boy died early Thursday after an alleged domestic attack at an apartment complex in Pineville, and police say the suspect was arrested minutes later at a nearby fast-food restaurant.
What authorities say happened
Pineville police identified the suspect as Jehaaz-Akil Khaliq Echoles, 31. Officers were called shortly after midnight to the Sabal Point Apartments for a report of an assault with a deadly weapon. When they entered the residence, they found the child with multiple stab wounds. First responders began emergency care at the scene and transported the boy to a hospital in a patrol car, but he was later pronounced dead.
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by local media, Echoles forcibly entered the apartment — the boy's mother told investigators he kicked down the door — went into the child's room and closed the door. The mother said she heard a disturbance, opened the bedroom and the suspect fled. She discovered her son bleeding and unresponsive with stab wounds to his head, neck and arms and called 911. A second child in the apartment was not harmed, the affidavit says.
Arrest and charges
Police located and arrested Echoles at a nearby Taco Bell. He has been charged with first-degree murder and is being held in the Mecklenburg County Jail without bond. His next court date is scheduled for July 30.
| Suspect | Age | Charge | Bond |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jehaaz-Akil Khaliq Echoles | 31 | First-degree murder | Held without bond |
Background and public-safety context
Police described the incident as a domestic matter, not a random act. Records and reporting show Echoles has a prior criminal history involving assaults. That includes a 2020 conviction in North Carolina for assault on a woman and, the affidavit says, multiple assault-related cases currently pending. Two separate allegations this year include one in which a woman said he beat her with a belt and another alleging he threw keys at a woman after refusing to return a borrowed car.
- Location: Sabal Point Apartments, Pineville
- Victim: 5-year-old male, died at hospital
- Other occupants: child's mother (unharmed) and another child (unharmed)
The case will be watched closely in Mecklenburg County, where fatal domestic incidents raise concerns about access to victims, warning signs and how prior convictions and pending cases factor into prevention.
Authorities have not released a motive. Investigators continue to gather evidence and review Echoles' criminal history as part of their ongoing work. The charge of first-degree murder indicates prosecutors believe the killing was willful and premeditated, but those details will be developed through court filings and proceedings.
Anyone with information relevant to the case is asked to contact Pineville police. The sheriff's office and the Mecklenburg County Jail have custody records showing Echoles is detained without bond ahead of his July 30 court appearance.
This investigation remains active. More details may be released as law enforcement and prosecutors move forward with the case.
