KANNAPOLIS, N.C. — A 911 call is shedding light on the abuse a mother and daughter endured before being shot and killed outside of a Department of Social Services building in Kannapolis on Wednesday. They were there at the office to try and get help and protection.
Channel 9′s Hannah Goetz got the 911 call made by Yamilaine Sosa-Julian, and she sounds terrified while whispering to the dispatcher asking for help in early February.
Police say Rafael Lopez shot and killed his wife, Maria, and 19-year-old Yamilaine in the parking lot of Cabarrus County Human Services on Wednesday. They were on their way to talk with DSS about the incident that happened on Feb. 1.
Court documents describe what Maria says happened that day. Lopez attempted to smother her, and he held a gun to her head while threatening to kill her as their 6-year-old child was in the neighboring room. Then Lopez threatened to kill Yamilaine in front of her mother. Maria began to scream, and that’s when Yamilaine called 911.
Her voice is shaking as she tells dispatcher her stepdad has a gun. She said she’s called 911 before, but she didn’t want Lopez to know she was the one who called.
Police arrested Lopez and collected guns from the house. Maria filed for emergency custody of the young child. Court documents say she feared the child was at risk because of the violence and the guns, and it also states Lopez kept drugs in the house.
We learned there were five domestic violence-related calls at that home over five years.
Lopez was out of jail on a $5,000 bond when the shooting happened. In a statement, the district attorney told Goetz that was the maximum bond for the offense.
We asked sources how Lopez was able to get a gun, but they’re still looking into it.
The DA said in a statement, “This was a tragic event and our thoughts and prayers are with the family members of the victims.”
(VIDEO: 18-year-old shot, killed in Salisbury, police say)
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