Crime
16-Year-Old Arrested in Connection with Fatal Red Springs Shooting
ROBESON COUNTY, NC – A 16-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a 21-year-old man in the Red Springs community, authorities confirmed.
According to Red Springs Police Chief Sarah Purcell, the suspect was apprehended Tuesday afternoon in Hope Mills, a town near Robeson County.
The arrest was made with the assistance of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Marshals Service.
The fatal shooting occurred in October along the 100 block of Grantham Street in Red Springs.
Officers responding to the scene discovered 21-year-old Jawuan Thomas Baker, who was pronounced dead on-site.
Following an investigation, law enforcement officials identified the 16-year-old as a suspect in the case.
The juvenile suspect is currently being held in a juvenile detention center and is scheduled to make his first appearance in Robeson County juvenile court on Wednesday.
Due to his age, additional details regarding his identity have not been released.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue to gather information surrounding the circumstances of the shooting.
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 party in eastern North Carolina turned deadly early Saturday morning when gunfire erupted, leaving two people dead and 13 others injured, according to the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Burnis Wilkins confirmed that deputies were called to the scene on Dixon Drive, just outside the town of Maxton, at approximately 3:00 a.m. following reports of a shooting at a large outdoor gathering attended by more than 150 people.
When deputies arrived, chaos had already unfolded — witnesses said over 150 individuals fled the area before law enforcement could secure the scene.
Authorities identified the deceased victims as Jessie Locklear and his son Nehemiah Locklear.
Several other victims sustained critical injuries and were transported to area hospitals for emergency treatment.
Sheriff Wilkins stated that, based on preliminary findings, the shooting appears to have been an isolated incident, and there is no ongoing threat to the wider community.
The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from multiple agencies, continues to investigate the circumstances that led to the violence.
Detectives are working to determine the motive and identify all parties involved.
Authorities are urging anyone with information—or anyone who attended the gathering and witnessed the incident—to contact the Robeson County Sheriff’s Investigators at 910-671-3100.
“We know there were many people present when this occurred,” Sheriff Wilkins said. “If you saw something or know something, we need you to come forward to help bring justice to the victims and their families.”