CLINTON — One man was killed and three were injured following an altercation at a local residence that erupted into gunfire Tuesday afternoon. The investigation into the fatal incident is now underway.
Around 1:39 p.m. Tuesday, the Sampson County E-911 Center was notified of four gunshot victims at Sampson Regional Medical Center in Clinton. The victims were reportedly transported to the hospital by privately-owned vehicles.
One of the victims, Tabias Darden, 18, of Faison Highway, Faison, reportedly died at Sampson Regional Medical Center and the other three were being treated for their wounds, according to reports from the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office. The names, which were not initially released pending family notifications, were disclosed Wednesday morning.
The other gunshot victims were identified as Emari Butler, 17, of Mill Creek Church Road, Newton Grove; Arhmond “AJ” Faison, 21, of Shaun Lane, Clinton; and a 16-year-old male juvenile of Faison area.
“Preliminary investigative efforts indicate that the shooting stemmed from an altercation on Boykin Road near Shaun Lane,” a Sheriff’s Office said in a brief statement. “The investigation is still in the early stages and not much information is currently available.”
Deputies from the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office were assisted by officers from the Clinton Police Department with scene security. The hospital was placed on lockdown based on the nature of the incident and the unknown variables involved, which is a routine occurrence, especially when dealing with a local shooting and gunshot victims.