Questions continue to linger around the mysterious shooting of Krishana Polite, a former top aide to Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, who was struck by a stray bullet in a parking lot while leaving a New Year’s Eve church service.

Despite police reports of celebratory gunfire in the area, Polite remains skeptical of the cause, pointing to the lack of shell casings and the fact that she was the only person injured among more than 100 people.

After a New Year’s Eve service at St. Peter’s Church & World Outreach Center in Winston-Salem concluded, a crowd leaving the church scattered into the parking lot, where firecrackers were heard and sparks could be seen in the far distance. As Polite walked to her vehicle among the crowd, she was struck in the neck by a stray bullet, according to a GoFundMe that has since raised nearly $6,000 for her recovery.

Bystanders helped her try to control the bleeding before EMS arrived and transported her to a nearby hospital. More than two weeks later, the bullet is still lodged in her neck, and it’s uncertain whether doctors will be able to remove it.

Krishana Polite (right) stands with recipients of the Domestic Violence Award.

Though police responding to the scene immediately said that celebrating gunfire had been reported in the area, Polite expressed skepticism of the root cause in an interview with the Carolina Journal. When asked if she feels safe, Polite said no, explaining that law enforcement has yet to reveal any information about what exactly happened. 

“Because I don’t know what it was. I know that in a parking lot full of people, over 100 people in a parking lot after leaving a celebratory New Year’s Eve prayer service, heading to my car in a parking lot, and I was surrounded by people, I was the only one that was injured,” Polite recalled. “And I find that to be odd. I find it to be odd that the officer said that there was no gun casings in the parking lot at all, but I was the only one injured. I find that odd.”

Polite said it was her third time attending St. Peter’s Church & World Outreach Center in Winston-Salem with her mother, who has been supporting her as she manages the wound.  

A police report indicates the shooting took place at 12:11 am, but the Winston-Salem police department said the investigation is ongoing and could not provide new details to the Carolina Journal. Last Thursday, law enforcement met with Polite at her house for the first time, though they had been in contact with her mother previously. They told Polite that there is a lead but couldn’t reveal anything further.

Polite served as Robinson’s chief of staff during his final months in office after being promoted from deputy chief of staff. The Carolina Journal asked Polite if the incident could be related to her background in politics and her chosen career path.

“Anything is possible. I don’t know,” she said. “That’s why I was hoping, I was really heavily relying on the police officers to look into this, to give me some answers,” she said. “I’m still hoping that they provide me with some answers to what actually took place because nothing that happened that night should be cast off as being regular activity. I was at a church.”

In a video posted to social media, the Chief of Police said there is no evidence that it was a targeted attack.

Several people at the church provided their names to be interviewed by the police, but Polite had not heard that any of them had been contacted to share their account of what happened. For now, Polite is focused on recovering and regaining full function of her left arm, shoulder, and hand. 

The Frederick Douglas Foundation North Carolina (FDFNC) brought attention to Polite’s circumstance last week in a press release highlighting her role as the first black woman to serve as chief of staff for the lieutenant governor of North Carolina. The conservative organization called on the media to cover her situation and law enforcement to provide transparency and accountability. 

“The community is calling for transparency and accountability from law enforcement in Winston-Salem, as well as a commitment from media outlets to cover this story with the gravity it deserves,” FDFNC wrote. “Local law enforcement has provided few updates on the investigation, leaving concerned citizens with more questions than answers.”

The police department acknowledged in a press release that information regarding the incident should have been released earlier.

“We regret not releasing information sooner. We recognize that notifying the public would have been the better course of action. Moving forward, we are reviewing our public dissemination policies to ensure that incidents of public interest, such as this one, are addressed more promptly when appropriate,” said Chief William H. Penn, Jr. “Officers wanted to ensure the integrity of the investigation and follow initial leads without compromising critical evidence. Our prayers continue to be with Ms. Polite and her loved ones today and during her recovery road ahead.”