On May 5, 2014, Scotty McCreery and his friends were hanging out in an apartment in Raleigh, North Carolina, and were simply enjoying each other’s company. They popped in a movie to watch as the night went on, having no idea that before long, they’d be staring death straight in the face.
That night, as McCreery detailed in his autobiography Go Big or Go Home: The Journey Toward the Dream and as he also told Black Hills to Go, what started as a normal evening turned into a nightmare. His friend heard a knock on the door and went to answer it, thinking it was a neighbor. But the person waiting behind the door was not so friendly.
Instead, a group of masked gunmen came rushing in to the apartment, and McCreery and his friends feared for their lives. “Masked gunmen who came in with pistols and assault rifles, took our wallets and computers. Not a fun night.” he said.
The men also took cellphones and money before they forced McCreery and his friends to get in a closet. Looking back on the moment, McCreery realizes how lucky he is to be alive, “If something had gone wrong, that could have been it,” he said. “It helps you not take one day granted and get the most out of every day.”
One of the suspects involved in the robbery connected to McCreery was eventually identified through forensic evidence. 21-year-old Mikkail Jamal Shaw was charged with three counts of second-degree kidnapping, three counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon, one count of burglary and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery and his trial was set to take place this week. However, news broke on Monday (June 27) that Shaw pled guilty to all charges.
Shaw was sentenced to 17 years in prison for his crimes during his sentencing on Tuesday (June 28) and is also required to partake in mental health counseling and vocational training. McCreery was present for the sentencing, and sat in the front row the whole time. He quickly left at the close of the hearing, and his friends followed close behind.
We’re sure McCreery is relieved to know that one of the suspects involved in the robbery will now be spending time behind bars. We hope they find the other suspects soon.