Late Sunday night, a quiet neighborhood in Stedman turned into the scene of a heartbreaking tragedy.

Brittany Marie Carmichael, a 33-year-old woman from Lumberton, was senselessly shot and killed in her own home.

The shooting happened around 10 p.m. on Clarkton Court, leaving her family, her boyfriend, and the community heartbroken.

When it happened, Brittany was at home with her boyfriend, William Dean.

They were in bed—Brittany was asleep, and William was still awake, checking his phone.

It was a normal night until William saw something outside their bedroom window.

He noticed three kids standing there in the dark.

He had no idea why they were there, so he got up, walked to the window, and asked, “Why are you here in my backyard?”

But it quickly turned into chaos.

One of the kids ran away, but the other two didn’t.

Instead, they started shooting.

Glass from the shattered window flew everywhere, cutting William in the eye.

He fell to the ground and tried to process what had just happened.

Then he realized Brittany had been hit.

Tragically, a bullet struck her while she was still in bed.

William tried to help her as best as he could.

And he told her everything would be okay, that this wasn’t the end.

Of course, he wanted her to believe she would make it through.

Her last words to him were heartbreaking, “Don’t leave me.”

Brittany was rushed to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, but she didn’t survive.

She died the next day, leaving behind a 13-year-old son and a devastated boyfriend who had planned to propose to her during an upcoming trip to Puerto Rico.

They were supposed to celebrate her 35th birthday there, a trip full of love and hope that would never happen.

“I want justice for my baby,” William said, his pain clear in every word.

He mentioned that there had been problems in the neighborhood before involving certain people who often caused trouble.

He doesn’t know why the kids were outside their window or why they started shooting, but he’s, understandably, desperate for answers.

The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office is now investigating the case, but so far, they haven’t shared many details.

They’re asking anyone who knows something about the shooting to come forward.

If you have any information, call Detective I. Fisk at (910) 677-5463 or Crimestoppers at (910) 483-TIPS (8477).

You can also share tips anonymously online.

Even the smallest detail could help bring answers to Brittany’s family.

The marks of that night are still there.

Bullet holes in the window and the back of the house are grim reminders of what happened.

For William, they are more than damage to the house—they are pieces of the nightmare he’s living.

For the community, they’re a reminder of how quickly life can change and how violence can strike anywhere.

Brittany’s story is more than just a tragedy.

It’s a call for justice.

She was a loving mother, a caring girlfriend, and a person who didn’t deserve to have her life cut short.

Her family and friends are left with memories and questions.

Why did this happen?

Who were the kids at the window?

And why would they take an innocent life?

Brittany’s family and the community need answers.

If you know anything, don’t stay silent.

Her family deserves to know the truth, and the people responsible need to be held accountable.

For now, the community mourns the loss of Brittany Carmichael—a woman whose life was taken too soon.

William, her son, and her loved ones are left grieving, but they’re also determined to fight for justice.

Brittany’s memory will live on, and her story will not be forgotten.