An 18-year-old Winston-Salem man accused of shooting two co-workers while they cleaned up parking lots near the Carolina Classic Fair appeared in court Friday, facing a long list of charges that includes assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill or seriously injure. Sincere West is being held without bond and is due back in court on Oct. 29.
According to myfox8.com, the shooting happened near the intersection of University Parkway and 27th Street after the fair had closed for the night. Investigators say the two victims were cleaning up the parking lots near University Parkway when West allegedly opened fire on them. Both suffered non-life-threatening injuries and have since been released from the hospital, the outlet reported.
Police say West knew both victims and that they were his intended targets, not random bystanders caught in a stray shooting. As myfox8.com reported, officers described the attack as targeted, not a random act of violence. Investigators previously told WXII 12 that West and the victims knew each other.
A Shooting Tied to the Fair, but Not Its Activities
Police say the shooting was not connected to the fair itself or its programming, even though it unfolded in a lot tied to the event. West was working for a third-party vendor at the fair at the time, according to the same report from myfox8.com. The exact time of the shooting has varied slightly across accounts, with one report citing roughly 11:20 p.m. and another putting it at 11:23 p.m., both on Oct. 6.
WXII 12 reports that officers approached West around 6:30 p.m. two days later, on Oct. 8, while he was still at the fair, and that he was found with a pistol fitted with a switch, according to court records cited by the outlet. The same report states that court documents indicate West was denied bond due to the violent nature of the offenses.
The Full Scope of the Charges
Beyond the two counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill or seriously injure, WXII 12 reports West also faces charges of injury to real property, possession of a weapon of mass destruction, carrying a concealed gun, possession of a firearm on city property, discharging a firearm within city limits, possession of marijuana, and possession of marijuana paraphernalia. North Carolina law generally allows cities to regulate the discharge of firearms within city limits by ordinance, with exceptions for self-defense or when acting on lawful police direction, per North Carolina state law. Separately, state statute addresses the manufacture, possession, and transport of weapons classified as devices of mass death and destruction, according to North Carolina law.
Fair Organizers Point to a Largely Quiet Season
Despite the shooting, police say no other major incidents occurred at this year's Carolina Classic Fair, according to publicradioeast.org. That tracks with earlier reporting from greensboro.com, which found attendance up and crime down through the fair's opening days, with just one assault report involving no injuries, one trespassing arrest, and 16 ejections.
That contrasts sharply with past years. In 2024, fights and unruly behavior led to dozens of ejections and an early closure, while last year's fair saw no major disturbances, which officials credited to a newly adopted code of conduct, per publicradioeast.org. A 2024 report from journalnow.com also described a weekend at the fair when at least five juveniles faced charges tied to fights and at least 74 people were ejected from the fairgrounds, with police at the time saying they had never seen so much unruly behavior at the event.
Security Measures Already in Place
The Winston-Salem Police Department says it remains committed to providing a safe environment for everyone attending and working at the fair, maintaining a law enforcement presence throughout the event. Security staff screen people entering the fairgrounds at all public entrances, and officers are posted at third-party vendor and vehicle entrances to supplement that screening, according to WXII 12.
Weapons, knives, and multi-tools remain prohibited inside the fairgrounds, and guests are subject to searches of all bags and containers, with anyone carrying prohibited items required to return them to their vehicle. The shooting investigation remains ongoing, and police are asking anyone with information to call 336-773-7700. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers by phone in English or Spanish, or online.
