In a stark turn of events that has jarred the Roanoke Rapids community, two men were fatally shot at the New Dixie Mart convenience store on Julian R. Allsbrook Highway. The incident, which took place around 1 p.m. Wednesday, began unfolding when local authorities responded to a call at the store, finding Dasean L. Banks dead at the scene, as CBS17 reports.
Further investigation inside the store led to the discovery of another victim, Anthony Shearing, who had sustained gunshot wounds, and although he was rushed to ECU North Hospital and later transported to another facility in Greenville for more sophisticated treatment, his life slipped away as injuries claimed their toll, according to information from the ABC11 news article. It is a blunt reminder of the fragility that grips our existence, popping like the brittle wings of a moth at the slightest touch, an episode leaving a community to mourn and a police department to search for answers in its wake.
Amidst the turmoil, the Roanoke Rapids Police Department has made one arrest, not for the shooting itself, but for what occurred in its aftermath; Ju-Quan Letrae Rawles, another Roanoke Rapids resident, faces charges of obstruction of justice "for actions following the shooting incident," as ABC11 details in their coverage. The active investigation suggests that the police are diligently seeking pieces to complete the puzzle of this daytime tragedy.
