Charges upgraded on youth in Asheboro shooting case

ASHEBORO – There are upgraded charges against the youth who has been arrested regarding the death of Southwestern Randolph High School student Pedro Ortiz-Perez.

The unnamed suspect, whose name isn’t being released because of his age (16), faces upgraded charges of first-degree murder. That came after a grand jury session earlier this month.

The suspect remains in a juvenile detention facility in Rowan County.

Ortiz-Perez died May 14 from gunshot wounds stemming from a shooting nearly two weeks earlier near North Asheboro Park. He was a high school soccer player and near the end of his sophomore year at Southwestern Randolph.