Wilmington is one of the most visited cities in New Hanover County.
It s also ranked as one of the top four most common cities for the occurrence of human trafficking in North Carolina, according to Just Ask Prevention.
First Fruit Ministries in Wilmington started a safe house, called 5.11 House, that provides safe, stable housing and case management, housing navigation, peer support, recovery services, behavioral health services, primary medical care, and financial assistance to victims of sex and labor trafficking.
The house, which is a six-month transitional safe house allowing victims of human trafficking time to get back on their feet, has started accepting referrals for residents.
Monica Shepard, wearing all black at right, talks to neighbors as Pender County Sheriffâs deputiesâ vehicles are parked behind them. (Port City Daily photo/Courtesy Kelly Estes)
PENDER COUNTY â Two men facing criminal charges for confronting a Black teenager at his Pender County home with firearms last spring were found not guilty on Thursday, Feb 18.
Former New Hanover County Sheriffâs deputy Jordan Kita
led an all-white crowd on a search for his missing sister on May 3, 2020, and approached the home of Monica and Dameon Shepard, who had no ties to the girl. Kita was off the clock, yet carried a weapon and wore his uniform.
During a phone call with a Pender County Sheriff s supervisor, the man said there were bodies lying in his home, according to the release. Further investigation found no evidence to support a break-in or that any other person was inside the house.
No one was injured during the incident, but the man is being taken to a medical facility for further evaluation.
Units from the Burgaw Police Department, Wilmington Police Department, Pender EMS and Fire and the N.C. State Highway Patrol assisted with the situation. I am proud of the men and women who responded to this emergency call and the way they handled this situation, Sheriff Alan W. Culter said in the release.
Pender 911 call leads to SWAT response By WECT Staff | February 21, 2021 at 12:59 PM EST - Updated February 22 at 5:45 AM
PENDER COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) - The Pender County Sheriffâs Office responded to an incident in Burgaw Sunday morning.
âThis morning at approximately 0845 hours a 911 call came in to our 911 center reporting a break in to a home in the 300 block of Bottle Branch Road in Burgaw. The caller stated that multiple people were breaking into his house. Deputies were dispatched and upon arrival they heard gunshots from within the home. The caller remained on 911 and indicated that he had fired,â according to a press release from the PCSO.
Kita, Wood found not guilty of all charges in Pender mob incident wect.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wect.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.