In a shocking act of domestic violence that has left a North Carolina community reeling, a 31-year-old father allegedly broke into his ex-girlfriend’s apartment in Pineville and fatally stabbed their 5-year-old son before fleeing the scene and going to a nearby Taco Bell.

The horrifying incident unfolded just after midnight on July 9, 2026, at the Sabal Point Apartments on South Polk Street. According to police reports, Jehaaz-Akil Khaliq Echoles kicked down the door of the apartment where his young son was staying with his mother. He entered the boy’s bedroom, closed the door, and attacked the child with a sharp weapon described by authorities as a blunt force trauma-type cutting tool. The boy suffered multiple stab wounds to his head, neck, and arms.

The child’s mother, who was home at the time along with another young child, heard the commotion and rushed to the bedroom. She discovered her son unresponsive and covered in blood. In a frantic 911 call, she alerted authorities. Responding officers from the Pineville Police Department arrived quickly, immediately provided emergency medical aid, and transported the boy to the hospital in a patrol car. Tragically, he was pronounced dead upon arrival. The other child in the home was unharmed.

Echoles fled the scene after the attack. Investigators quickly identified him as the suspect and located him at a nearby Taco Bell, where he was taken into custody without incident. He has been charged with first-degree murder and an additional count of assault on a female. He is being held without bond in the Mecklenburg County Jail, with his next court appearance scheduled for July 30.

This tragedy is believed to stem from a domestic dispute and was not a random act of violence. Court records show Echoles has a troubling history of violence, including a prior conviction for assault on a female in 2020 and multiple other assault-related cases. In recent incidents this year, he allegedly beat a woman with a leather belt and threw keys at another woman during a dispute over a borrowed car.

The Pineville Police Department described the crime scene as devastating, with officers working swiftly to secure the area and obtain search warrants for the apartment and vehicles. The young victim’s name has not been publicly released as the investigation continues. Community members and child advocates have expressed profound sorrow over the loss of such a young life at the hands of someone who should have been a protector.

This case highlights the devastating impact of domestic violence on children caught in the crossfire of broken relationships. Authorities urge anyone experiencing domestic issues to seek help immediately through local resources and hotlines. As the legal process moves forward, the focus remains on justice for the innocent child whose life was cut tragically short in what should have been a safe home environment.