A deadly shooting outside a Gray's Creek home Thursday night has Cumberland County investigators working a homicide case. Deputies say there does not appear to be an ongoing threat to the public.
Deputies responded to a home in the 4800 block of Backbay Road off Tom Starling Road, east of I-95, and found a woman shot dead in front of the house. The victim's name has not been released. The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office told reporters the shooting "was not random" and that a suspect is in custody, according to ABC11.
Investigators are asking anyone who might know more about what happened to contact Cumberland County Sheriff's Office Homicide Detective Senior Sgt. J. Mcleod at (910) 677-5548. To remain anonymous, tips can be submitted to CrimeStoppers at (910) 483-TIPS (8477) or via fay-nccrimestoppers.org, per CityView NC.
Local context
State data from the North Carolina Violent Death Reporting System show that, for 2014-2023, homicides made up roughly 43% of violent deaths in Cumberland County and that firearms were involved in the large majority of those cases. The county report also notes that female homicide victims were more likely than male victims to have been killed by someone they knew. NCDHHS published the county-level figures.
What officials say
The sheriff's office says the investigation is active and ongoing and has again asked anyone with photos, video or other information from the area to contact detectives. Officials say they plan to release additional details as they are confirmed.
