Deadly Shooting at Southeast Raleigh Apartment, 24-Year-Old Roanoke Rapids Man Charged

RALEIGH, NC – A 24-year-old man has been charged in connection with a shooting at an apartment complex in southeast Raleigh that left one man dead and another injured, sparking alarm among nearby residents.

Around 1:36 a.m. on Monday, Raleigh Police officers responded to the Walnut Ridge Apartments in the 3400 block of White Sock Lane. Upon arrival, they found a man with serious injuries, who was transported to the hospital, where he later died. Another man, suffering from non-life-threatening injuries, was taken to the hospital in a private vehicle.

Marquette Lamont Sykes, 24, of Roanoke Rapids, has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and possession of a firearm by a felon. The incident reportedly originated from an apartment within the complex, according to a resident who did not want to be identified. The resident mentioned that his friend was shot in the leg.

The crime scene remained active for nearly 14 hours, focusing much of the investigation on a white SUV. Forensic teams were observed going in and out of the vehicle around noon. Neighbors reported hearing between 10 and 15 gunshots during the night.

Josh Medlin, a resident of Walnut Ridge, described the event as terrifying for his family, expressing their intention to move as soon as possible. “I was just scared,” Medlin said. “I told the kids to get down. It’s pretty terrifying… I have a lot of kids, and this isn’t the first time.”

Medlin also noted that there have been three shootings in the area within the last 90 days, underscoring the growing concerns about safety in the neighborhood. “We need to move,” he said. “I was talking to a lady earlier, and we were just saying it’s time to go.”

Broadcastify radio traffic revealed details about possible suspect vehicles: “5-15 heading to the shooting. You’ve got two possible suspect vehicles: a white Cadillac and a dark vehicle. I’m not sure where they’re at. You have one patient not breathing.”

Medlin suggested that police officers patrolling the southeast Raleigh neighborhood on foot would make residents feel safer.

This area of southeast Raleigh has experienced a significant amount of violence in recent years, with multiple incidents involving drugs, assaults, and gunfire. Over the past year, three other shootings and a stabbing have occurred within five miles of Monday’s shooting on White Sock Lane.

In August, another shooting less than a quarter mile away resulted in one man’s death and a woman being injured. The same block of White Sock Lane has seen three assaults reported this year.

Additionally, another shooting occurred around the same time on Monday morning, about four miles away, in a neighborhood on Bertie Drive.

Anyone with information that could assist the investigations is urged to contact the Raleigh Police Department at 919-996-3335 or submit a tip anonymously through CrimeStoppers at www.raleighcrimestoppers.org.