GASTONIA, N.C. — The grandmother of a 16-year-old charged with murder is sending condolences to the victim’s family and sharing how the crime has torn apart two families.
The case went to a grand jury on Monday as it considers several cases.
It may be later this week before a decision on the case involving two 16-year-olds.
There were many tears during the memorial service for Zaquavious Dawkins.
Joyce Simpson, the suspect’s grandmother, spoke about the fatal shooting on Jan. 26 on North Chester Street.
“That’s horrendous. Our deepest sympathy goes out to that family,” Joyce Simpson said.
The grandmother said she didn’t know that her grandson, Sean Simpson, was a suspect in that murder until the day Gastonia police arrested him at school.
“I’m just blindsided, you know,” she said.
Sean Simpson was charged as an adult.
She said she visited him in jail last weekend.
“He was more concerned about me, how I’m doing,” Joyce Simpson said.
She said in the last two years Sean Simpson and his six-year-old brother dealt with the death of their mother and an aunt.
She hasn’t told the child that Sean Simpson is in jail and may be there until both of them are adults.
“Now, he’s asking for Sean. He knows Sean’s not here,” the grandmother said.
Joyce Simpson said there are no winners in a situation like this, especially for the family who must bury a child.
“My heart goes out to them. It really does,” she said.
Joyce Simpson said she watched Channel 9′s interview last week when the victim’s mother said she wants to hug Sean Simpson because she worries he will lose his youth because of this shooting.
Joyce Simpson told me those words touched her heart.
VIDEO: 16-year-old arrested, charged with killing another teen in Gastonia
©2025 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
