On Thursday last week, an incident unfolded in Newton when officers responded to reports of suspicious individuals near South Ervin Avenue. According to the City of Newton Police Department Facebook post, the suspects, dressed in black with face masks, were spotted near a silver Nissan Altima.
A Catawba County Sheriff's Deputy later located a matching vehicle on East "P" Street, which led to a stop. During the investigation, 18-year-old Xavier Jahree Wyatt fled into the woods and fired at officers, prompting a manhunt. Wyatt was later charged with five counts of Assault with a Deadly Weapon and five counts of Assault with a Firearm on a Law Enforcement Officer. He was apprehended by the U.S. Marshals at around 3:00 P.M. at Sandalwood Court Apartments, as per the same post.
Other individuals involved in the incident were charged with various offenses. Tevyn Nathaniel Hamlin, 26, was charged with Driving While License Revoked; Robert Djan Nelson Jr., 26, was charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Felon; and Kenyan Malik Jackson, 22, was charged with Carrying a Concealed Weapon. All suspects, except Wyatt, posted bail and are set for court on Monday.
The Newton Police Department is continuing its investigation and encourages anyone with information to contact Investigator Brown at (828) 465-7430 or [email protected].
