Crime
Victims Identified in Deadly Robeson County Mass Shooting
Two Dead, 13 Injured in Mass Shooting at Large Party in Robeson County, North Carolina
ROBESON COUNTY, N.C. — A late-night Halloween celebration in Robeson County ended in tragedy early Saturday morning after gunfire erupted at a large outdoor party, leaving two people dead and at least 13 others injured, several of them critically.
According to the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to the area of Dixon Drive near McGirt Gin Road, just outside of Maxton, shortly after 3:00 a.m., following reports of multiple shots fired at a large gathering.
When deputies arrived, they found a chaotic and disturbing scene — vehicles abandoned in nearby fields, overturned tables, and debris scattered across the property. Investigators estimate that more than 150 people had attended the event, most of whom fled before law enforcement arrived.
Authorities identified the victims who lost their lives as Jessie Locklear and Nehemiah Locklear.
Both were pronounced dead at the scene.
Several of the injured were transported to local hospitals, while others with more severe injuries were airlifted to regional trauma centers, including UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill.
The event, advertised online as a “Halloween Dirt Road Party” at 298 Dixon Drive, featured the slogan: “Ain’t no party like the dirt road party.” Flyers also encouraged guests to “BYOB” and “leave ya drama with ya mama.” The gathering was scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. Friday and continue into the early morning hours.
In a statement, Sheriff Burnis Wilkins described the incident as a devastating act of violence but emphasized that investigators believe it was an isolated event, noting that there is no ongoing threat to the wider community.
“More than 150 people ran from the location before deputies arrived,” Sheriff Wilkins said. “We are urging anyone who attended or who has information to come forward and assist our investigators in bringing those responsible to justice.”
Throughout Saturday, social media was filled with messages of grief, support, and disbelief from community members mourning the victims. Friends and family members of those injured expressed heartbreak that what was meant to be a night of celebration ended in unimaginable loss.
The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from state and local agencies, continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Anyone with information about the incident or who was present during the shooting is urged to contact the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division at 910-671-3100 or email sheriff.wilkins@robesoncountync.gov.
The community continues to grieve as investigators work to uncover what led to the deadly violence that shattered a night meant for celebration.
Crime
Mustapha Kharbouch Now-Deleted 2024 Manifesto Published in Institute for Palestine Studies Recovered
Brown University has removed multiple online references to student activist Mustapha Kharbouch in the days following a deadly campus shooting, a move that has drawn public attention amid heightened online speculation—despite law enforcement officials confirming that no suspects or persons of interest have been identified in the investigation.
Archived versions of Brown University webpages show that Kharbouch, a first-year student at the time, was previously listed in several university-affiliated roles, including as a student assistant and Cultural Programming Coordinator connected to the Global Brown Center.
His academic interests were described as focusing on International and Public Affairs and Anthropology, with involvement in Middle East–focused academic, cultural, and student programming.
Those pages are no longer accessible, and Kharbouch’s social media accounts have also been deactivated.
A verified buyer from the United States with the name “Mustapha K.” reviewed a 9MM muzzle brake through the Wing Tactical website on December 29th, 2024 — the same caliber used in the Brown shooting.
There are approximately a few hundred people in the entire United States with that first name + last initial combination.
University officials have not issued a public explanation for the removal of the online profiles.
The changes occurred as online speculation intensified in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, with social media users circulating screenshots of archived university pages and past writings associated with Kharbouch.
Among the materials resurfaced by online users was a 2024 essay authored by Kharbouch and published by the Institute for Palestine Studies as part of a special student essay series titled Genocide in Gaza: Student Essays — Brown University Encampment 2024.
The essay, titled “I Hear the Voice of My Ancestors Calling: From the Camps to the Campus,” was published on August 13, 2024, months before the shooting. The piece is a first-person reflective essay examining Palestinian identity, intergenerational memory, student activism, and questions of hope amid displacement, war, and protest.
The article includes poetic excerpts adapted from “Ancestors Song,” a chant popularized during student-led Palestine solidarity actions at Brown University, and documents Kharbouch’s participation in campus organizing efforts, including sit-ins, hunger strikes, rallies, and the Brown Gaza Solidarity Encampment.
The essay situates these experiences within a broader discussion of decolonial thought, feminist theory, and Palestinian history, including reflections on the 1948 Nakba and the author’s family history as a third-generation stateless Palestinian refugee raised in Lebanon.
The content of the essay is ideological, autobiographical, and academic in nature.
There is no reference to violence on campus, nor any indication of intent or planning related to criminal activity.
The Institute for Palestine Studies has not issued any statement suggesting the piece is under review or connected to the shooting.
Despite widespread online conjecture, law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and Providence Police, have not named Mustapha Kharbouch as a suspect or person of interest, and have publicly stated that there is no evidence linking him to the shooting.
Investigators have emphasized that the case remains active and that conclusions are being guided strictly by verified evidence.
Authorities have cautioned against drawing inferences from online speculation, warning that unsubstantiated claims can compromise investigations and cause undue harm to individuals not implicated by facts.
Media analysts and campus observers have suggested that Brown University’s decision to remove online references may have been taken as a protective or precautionary measure, particularly as misinformation and harassment proliferated across social media platforms following the attack.
Similar actions have been taken by institutions in other high-profile incidents to limit doxxing, targeted harassment, or the misinterpretation of publicly available biographical information during periods of heightened tension.
Brown University has not confirmed whether the removals were temporary, administrative, or safety-related in nature.
Authorities continue to urge the public to rely on confirmed information released by law enforcement and to avoid amplifying unverified narratives.
As of the most recent update, no arrests have been announced, no individuals have been publicly identified as suspects, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with credible information related to the shooting has been asked to contact investigators directly.