BY NICOLE BOWMAN-LAYTON
EDENTON — Edenton Police Chief David LaFon noted that approximately 90 to 105 people were in or outside of Food Lion when a shooting incident occurred on Sunday, May 4, at the Food Lion on Virginia Road.
LaFon gave an update on the event to about 200 community members during the Community Response and Support Meeting on Thursday in the Edenton Baptist Church fellowship hall. The Albemarle Observer’s coverage of the event will be published at a later date.
Earlier in the week, Raymark Devon Bembury, 22, of Edenton, was arrested and charged in connection with the shooting incident, which injured two people.
LaFon did not give an update on the victims’ conditions.
According to an Edenton Police Department press release, at approximately 6:53 p.m. Sunday, officers responded to reports of gunfire in the area of 300 C Virginia Road, a business known as Food Lion. Upon arrival, officers located evidence of a shooting and initiated an immediate investigation.
During the meeting, LaFon noted that there were approximately 60 to 75 people inside the store and about 25-30 people in the parking lot at the time of the incident.
LaFon reiterated that the three individuals involved in the incident admitted to being part of gangs during their interrogation, leading the agency to note that the preliminary investigation pointed to a gang-related incident.
Bembury, of Edenton, was arrested. His bond was set at $5 million.
EPD noted that the investigation is ongoing, and further charges and arrests are possible.
LaFon noted that it was not an active-shooter situation, which is a term used for a randome shooting. “The incident was an isolated encounter between individuals known to each other and does not reflect a broader or random threat to the community.”
Bembury’s was placed in Chowan County Jail and he was charged with the following:
- One count of Felonious assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill or inflicting serious injury
- One count of Felony Assault with deadly weapon intent to kill
- One count of Felony Possession of a firearm by a felon
- Two counts of Felony Discharge of a firearm within an enclosure to incite fear.
- One count of Misdemeanor Discharge of a firearm in city limits
- One count of Misdemeanor Carry Concealed Gun
- One count of Misdemeanor going armed to terror of the public
LaFon said other agencies helping the investigation include the Chowan County Sheriff’s Office, the District Attorney’s office, and the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections (NCDAC) – Division of Community Supervision.
2 responses to “Edenton Shooting Incident: Key Updates”
[…] Addressing rumors and phone calls from the public, LaFon clarified information about the incident. The information is included in a previous article you can visit by clicking here. […]
[…] During the public comment portion of the meeting, Lorrie Dablow spoke about the community’s reaction to the recent shooting incident at Food Lion. […]