A North Carolina woman who survived a horrific burning attack last year was later targeted in a shooting on October 27th, according to circulating report by the NC Beat. The incident was first reported by the Sanford Herald on October 30, 2025.
According to an arrest warrant, Ashanti Downey and her sister, Beyonce Downey, were sitting inside a white 2013 Hyundai Elantra when Amir Franklin Elijah Robb, 21, allegedly opened fire on the vehicle. Robb was arrested the following day, October 28th.
Both Ashanti and Beyonce Downey survived the shooting and wasn’t hurt. As of December 21st, Robb remains incarcerated at Lee County Jail in Sanford, NC.
Court documents show Robb has a history of run-ins with the law, including multiple probation violations between December 2024 to August 2025. He is currently charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, one count of discharging a weapon into an occupied property, and one count of injury to personal property.
Robb’s prior convictions include an April 25, 2024, case in which he was sentenced to 45 days in jail and six months of supervised probation for attempted breaking and entering a motor vehicle. He also received a three-day “quick dip” jail sentence for probation violations dated December 30, 2024, June 13, and August 6, according to the Sanford Herald.
No information on the motive behind the targeted shooting. His disposition hearing is scheduled for January 14, 2026, at Lee County Superior Court.
The shooting incident marks another traumatic chapter for Ashanti, who was doused with gasoline and set on fire by her ex-boyfriend, Jami Raiziah Griffin, as she walked along NC 27 and Barbecue Church Road in Harnett County on December 16, 2024. Ashanti suffered second- and third-degree burns from the incident.
Griffin was sentenced on July 7th to seven to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to injure or kill. Charges of attempted murder and assault on a female were dismissed as part of a plea agreement. In a related case, Griffin’s mother, Latonya Renee Murchison, 45, received a suspended sentence of 10 to 21 months for felony obstruction of justice; two counts of accessory after the fact were dismissed.
In a November 16th update on Ashanti’s GoFundMe page, her mother shared that Ashanti’s surgery was successful. While she continues to experience pain and limited movement, she is eating, resting, and remaining positive, Davis shared. The family has asked the public to continue praying for Ashanti and noted that another surgery is planned in the near future.
