The victim, Sequan Flemming, was rushed to a hospital by family members and was pronounced dead by medical staff, Sheriff Wes Tripp said in a statement. Flemming was 20.

Deputies responded to the shooting call around 6 p.m. and developed Matthew James Scott as the alleged suspect.

Tripp declined to discuss motive in a statement and by telephone this morning.

He did say Scott, who is considered armed and “extremely dangerous,” frequents the Roanoke Rapids area.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Scott is encouraged to call the sheriff’s office at 252-583-8201 or Crimestoppers at 252-583-4444.

Violet Sledge was also charged with possessing cocaine as she was booked at the Halifax County Detention Center.

Her arrest began as Halifax County Sheriff’s Office corporals Roy Ball and Austin Holland went to a residence in the Shelton Road area around 2 a.m. to follow up on a drug complaint, task force Captain A.M. Harris said in a statement.

The deputies could reportedly smell marijuana coming from the residence and contacted task force agents.

Agent D.R. Radford applied for a search warrant and with assistance of the Criminal Investigative Division of the sheriff’s office, deputies seized 744 dosage units of Xanax, marijuana, Mason jars with marijuana residue, a bong, a glass smoking pipe, and two blunt splitters.

Harris said this morning Sledge had lived at the residence for about two months.

Radford arrested and charged Sledge with possession with intent to sell and deliver schedule IV controlled substance, felony possession of schedule IV controlled substance, maintaining a vehicle or dwelling for a controlled substance, possession of marijuana up to one-half ounce and possession of marijuana paraphernalia.

As she was being processed into jail, a detention officer found her in possession of cocaine and she received additional charges of felony possession of cocaine and possess a controlled substance at a prison or jail premises.

She received a $5,000 bond for that charge after receiving an original $5,000 bond for the charges stemming from the search of her residence.

Radford also cited Sledge’s cousin, 19-year-old Aaron Hammond, for possession of marijuana paraphernalia.

He and Sledge both have November 15 court dates.

Investigation continues, Harris said.

Bystanders got the chain away from Quinton Cordovas Squire but when officers attempted to arrest him at the Plaza Shopping Center, the 56-year-old man, refused to put his hands behind his back and allegedly struck the officers.

Officer A. Green and Master Officer J. Hardy received minor injuries in the scuffle with the man, Chief Chuck Hasty said.

The events which led to Squire’s arrest began Tuesday at approximately 3:30 p.m. when police received a call about Squire reportedly making threats to a New Dixie Mart clerk at the store in the 1900 block of Julian R. Allsbrook Highway, Hasty said in a statement.

There was no known relationship between the clerk and Squire, Hasty said.

The employee told Hardy Squire came to the store Monday night and made threats to harm her. He returned and threatened her again.

Hardy located Squire in the Plaza Shopping Center, where Lowe’s Home Improvement is located.

That’s when Squire allegedly made threats to the officer while wielding the chain.

Squire was eventually taken into custody and charged with communicating threats, assault on a female, two counts of resisting/delaying/obstructing an officer and two counts of assault on a government official.  

The assault on a female charge, Hasty said, reflects the threats allegedly made to her and not a physical assault.

Squire received a $10,000 bond and December 22 court date.

Sergeant M. Moseley assisted.

Halifax County Sheriff Wes Tripp said Matthew James Scott, 19, surrendered to the Roanoke Rapids Police Department today.

The sheriff said Scott has not made a statement about the shooting death of 20-year-old Sequan Flemming, whose murder he is charged with.

The sheriff has declined to discuss motive in the murder, which occurred in the Branch Avenue and Bowser Street area of Roanoke Rapids.

Deputies responded to the call around 6 p.m.

Flemming was rushed to a hospital by family members and was pronounced dead by medical staff.

Tripp said said the city police department was instrumental in the case. “They helped us tremendously. They have assisted us greatly in the apprehension of the suspect.”

Scott has a November 15 court date.

Halifax County Sheriff Wes Tripp confirmed Simms, 25, was served the four murders at the detention center in Halifax where he is in custody on $500,000 bond for skipping a June court date for the 2015 murder of Jarshamel Cambridge in Enfield.

He was taken into custody for failure to appear in the Cambridge case in September, nearly a month after the Glenview murders.

Other than confirming Simms was served the warrants for the murders of James and Janice Harris and James and Peggy Whitley, Tripp declined elaboration on details of the case as it remains under investigation. “We continue to work diligently on this case,” he said.

The four murder counts means he remains in jail with the condition now of no opportunity for bond.

Tripp, who said in a previous statement the murders of the four elderly people was gang-related, would not confirm Simms was a gang member. He declined to confirm whether the motive of the case was specifically to rob Harris, a retired gunsmith, of weapons.

In past statements the sheriff has said items of value were missing from the residence and the motive is robbery.

The four were shot through a glass door while they sat playing cards at the dining room table. All the victims died at the table after they were shot multiple times.

In the Cambridge case, Simms had originally been jailed without opportunity for bond after he was found hiding in a suitcase in November of 2015.

Sometime afterward, his bond was lowered and he was able to post bond bail. That timeframe is not immediately clear as of this report.

Simms will have a first court appearance Friday.

Tripp said family members of the four victims have been notified. He declined comment on their reactions.

District Court Judge Brenda Branch today read Simms, 25, of Enfield, the first-degree murder charges lodged against him in the shooting deaths of James and Janet Harris and James and Peggy Whitley.

The four were shot through a glass door while they sat playing cards at the Harris family’s dining room table. All the victims died at the table after they were shot multiple times.

She explained to Simms if found guilty he could be sentenced to life or receive the death penalty. She also told him, “You will not have a bond.”

Simms asked Branch, “Who do I talk to talk to about a speedy trial?”

Branch told him to discuss that with his attorneys.

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The man’s first appearance since being charged Thursday evening was held after Branch made a ruling about TV news crews being allowed to use cell phones to record the brief proceeding. rrspin.com had made an earlier request to be allowed to bring in a digital camera, which was approved by Branch and the district attorney’s office.

Branch ruled against allowing cell phones being used to record the proceedings but did allow TV cameras.

Two members of the Harris family, who had no immediate comment following the first appearance, were in the courtroom.

As Simms prepared to leave the courtroom, Branch said, “Good luck to you sir.”

District Attorney Valerie Asbell would only say afterward, “It’s an ongoing investigation and I’m bound by ethical obligations to not discuss the case further.”

Simms was served the warrants for the four murders at the detention center in Halifax where he was in custody on $500,000 bond for skipping a June court date for the 2015 murder of Jarshamel Cambridge in Enfield.

He was taken into custody for failure to appear in the Cambridge case in September, nearly a month after the Glenview murders.

However, evidence presented in the plea hearings of Dexter Taylor and and Tony Hill show none of the other co-defendants in that case, including Simms, had weapons or got out of the car.

That evidence showed Taylor was identified as the shooter. He was convicted of the June 22, 2015, manslaughter in August. He was sentenced to six years and two months, a concurrent sentence to a charge of criminal street gang activity.

Since his admission date on August 7, he has had two infractions — one for gang involvement and another for assaulting a person with a weapon, according to state Department of Public Safety records.

Tony Hill received a suspended sentence of 32 months probation after he pled to discharging a firearm into an enclosure to incite fear in the Cambridge.

Other defendants in the Cambridge case have pending court dates.

The first arrest in the shooting, in which Roanoke Rapids police Chief Chuck Hasty said in a statement struck a house and a vehicle, was made Thursday morning.

Hasty said Master Officer J. Hardy conducted a stop on Wallace Fork Road for a traffic violation.

Jeffrey Leonard Purnell, 50, of Roanoke Rapids, was arrested on outstanding warrants and for driving while license revoke.

The outstanding warrants were for attempted murder, discharging a weapon into an occupied dwelling, damage to property and possession of firearm by felon.  

Purnell received a $200,000 bond and December 6 court date.

Tearance Purnell Moody, 49, of Roanoke Rapids, was arrested around noon today at a residence on Wilkins Street by Lieutenant J. Baggett, Master Officer G. Colson, and officers M. Hunsucker and H. Grimes without trouble.

Moody was charged with attempted murder, discharging a weapon into an occupied dwelling or vehicle, communicating threats and damage to property.

The shooting, according to the report, stemmed from an argument between the two men which occurred four or five years ago. The nature of the argument was not known.

Investigator G. Williams investigated the case.

Shots fired reports

Hasty reported on Thursday around 10:30 p.m., officers received a report of shots fired on Carter Street.

When officers arrived they did not locate any suspects, but located numerous shell casings in the area.  

While processing the scene officers heard more shots fired in the area of South Rosemary.

When officers arrived they found an occupied vehicle on Oak Street and Gordon Drive had been shot, but nobody was injured.

The suspect in the Carter Street shooting is described as a light-skinned male wearing dark colored clothes.

There was no suspect description in the shooting into the vehicle.

Hasty said the shootings may be related.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Williams at 252-533-2821 or Crimestoppers at 252-583-4444.

Simmons received a $3,000 bond and December 6 court date.

Chief Chuck Hasty said in a statement the charges stem from a report filed on October 3 when Halifax County Adult Protectives Services made a report the victim was made to cosign for a loan for Simmons.  

The victim did not have the mental capacity to sign any legal documents.

Halifax County Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant G. Evans assisted with the arrest.

On Thursday shortly before 4 p.m., Agent Chris Babb conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in the area of Julian R. Allsbrook Highway near Smith Church Road for a violation.

During the search of the vehicle, with assistance from Roanoke Rapids police Master Officer Jamie Hardy and his dog, Storm, a personal amount of cocaine was seized along with drug paraphernalia.

Babb cited the driver, James Brigman, 52, with a North Carolina Uniform Citation for an open container.  

Babb arrested and charged George Brigman, 39, for felony possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

George Brigman received a $2,500 bond and both received November 15 court dates.

On Thursday at approximately 9:22 a.m., agents and Halifax County Sheriff’s Office deputies executed a search warrant at a residence in the 1000 block of Green Street.

During the search of the residence, agents located marijuana, a marijuana grinder and a crack pipe.

Agent D.W. McKeel cited Amanda Yarborough, 37, of the residence, with a North Carolina Uniform Citation for possessing marijuana up to one-half ounce and possession of marijuana paraphernalia.  

She received a November 15 court date.

How Aaron Hammond allegedly obstructed justice in the murder of 20-year-old Sequan Flemming is something Halifax County Sheriff Wes Tripp said this morning remains part of the investigation in the fatal shooting in the Branch Avenue area of Roanoke Rapids.

In a statement this morning the sheriff said, “Aaron Keith Hammond played a role in obstructing the course of the investigation.”

Hammond. A photo of of Shearin was not available.

He was charged with common law obstruction of justice and received a $20,000 bond and November 15 court date.

Matthew James Scott was charged in Flemming’s murder and surrendered to the Roanoke Rapids Police Department Wednesday.

Tripp said others are expected to be arrested in the case for either hindering or obstructing the investigation.

Flemming’s murder appears to be retaliation over an undisclosed dispute and on Friday the sheriff’s office arrested Trevathan Shearin, 17, for intimidating a state’s witness.

Shearin already has court appearances set for Wednesday as well as November 7 for charges of discharging a weapon into an occupied dwelling or moving vehicle, misdemeanor injury to real property and disorderly conduct. The Wednesday court date involves the first two charges.

Shearin was arrested in the Allendale Drive area of Roanoke where Tripp said deputies have responded to numerous calls in the past.

Shearin was taken into custody around 8 p.m. after Corporal P. Moyer and deputies C. Carman and J. Comeaux located him.

The outstanding warrants were based on an investigation by Detective S.A. Bryant.

Shearin received a $200,000 bond and Wednesday court date.

Disturbance call leads to arrest

On Friday at approximately 5:45 p.m., Lieutenant J. Baggett responded to a residence on Carter Street about a disturbance.  

The victim wanted to leave the area, but while doing so, Tom Lee Price, 44, of Roanoke Rapids, grabbed and began to squeeze her.  

Baggett attempted to handcuff Price, who pulled away. He was shot with a Taser and taken into custody for assault on a female.

He was jailed without opportunity for bond and assigned a December 8 court date.

Master officers G. Colson and A. Salmon assisted.

House damaged in crash

On Friday at approximately 10 p.m., officers responded to the 200 block of Monroe Street where a vehicle struck a house, taking the front porch off.

They found an empty vehicle.  

No one inside the house was injured and the occupants of the vehicle fled the scene.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the police department at 252-533-2810 or Halifax County Crimestoppers at 252-583-4444.

Suspicious person call

On Saturday at approximately 1 a.m., Officer J. Spragins and Lieutenant P. Parks received a call about suspicious people in the 1900 block of Roanoke Avenue.

They found Anthony Devon Mills, 33, of Roanoke Rapids, who had outstanding orders for arrest. Mills was arrested and charged with resisting/delaying/obstructing an officer for giving a false name and served the outstanding orders for arrest.

He received a $2,600 bond and has a November 17 court date.

Marijuana citation

On Saturday at approximately 3 p.m., Officer J. DeSare responded to a call of a suspicious vehicle at Ashland Avenue and South Monroe Street.  

DeSare located the vehicle and the driver, Ryan Acey Carlisle, 18, of Weldon.

With assistance from Officer H. Grimes and her dog, Jimi, narcotics were located.

Carlisle was cited for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was released until his December 8 court date.

Members of the local task force set up at Walgreen’s and were there for four hours.

Task force Captain A.M. Harris said collected at Walgreen’s were:

654 dosage units of scheduled drugs

8,711 non-scheduled dosage units

161 liquid medications

70 veterinary dosage units

15 syringes

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There were 27 locations in the Eastern District of North Carolina participating, the United States Department of Justice said in a statement.

The event was an effort to rid homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.

“With the spiraling drug overdose and death rates facing our country, it is critical that we all do our part to reduce opportunity and temptation which can lead to abuse,” U.S. Attorney Robert J. Higdon Jr. said. “The DEA’s Prescription Drug Take Back Program is an important opportunity for all of us to play our part in this effort.”

Daniel R. Salter, the special agent in charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division said, “The DEA is committed to making our communities safer by raising public awareness about the dangers of controlled prescription drugs. This is just one of example of how DEA is working hand- in - hand with its law enforcement and community partners in an effort to stem the tide of controlled prescription drugs.”

Last April Americans turned in 450 tons of prescription drugs at almost 5,500 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,200 of its state and local law enforcement partners.

Overall, in its 13 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in more than 8.1 million pounds of pills.

The Justice Department said rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs.

Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 91 Americans die each day from an opioid overdose.

Some painkiller abusers move on to heroin: Four out of five new heroin users started with painkillers.

Flushing medications down the toilet or throwing them in the trash pose potential safety and health hazards.

This initiative addresses the public safety and public health issues that surround medications languishing in home cabinets, becoming highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse.

The ceremony was conducted by Troop 144 Charter Organization Representative Lee Bone, Unit Commissioner Jeff McKee, Scoutmaster Dan Harris and Assistant Scoutmaster Josh Clark.   Halifax Resolves Chapter President Ken Wilson was on hand to present Crawford with the Sons of the American Revolution Eagle Scout Recognition Certificate.

Pictured are, front, row, Crawford and behind him, from left, Harris, Wilson, Bone, Clark and McKee.

Jequan Kimble and Daquan Marrow both received supervised probation of 36 months after pleading to a count of solicitation to commit gang activity.

Both men, who were in separate vehicles, never got of the cars and none were armed, Assistant District Attorney Keith Werner and the men’s attorneys confirmed in court.

The death of Cambridge was related to a problem between two Enfield gangs, Werner told Superior Court Judge Alma Hinton this morning.

The nature of the problem was not disclosed in court.

The gangs involved were the 9 Trey Billy Bloods and the 61 Brimz. rrspin.com learned Cambridge was a member of 61 Brimz.

On June 22, 2015, two cars containing four people each had the vehicle Cambridge was in hemmed in, Werner told the court.

Dexter Taylor, who has already been sentenced as the shooter in the case, got out of one vehicle while Tony Hill, who received a probationary sentence, got out of the other.    

Taylor was armed with an AK-47 and Hill was armed with a handgun, Werner said.

It was not the men’s intent to kill Cambridge, Werner told the court, but to incite fear in their rivals based on the lack of bullet holes in the car and evidence presented they were not shooting directly at the car.

A high-powered bullet fired from Taylor’s gun, however, ricocheted from the ground and up into the bottom of the car striking Cambridge in the back.

Both Kimble and Marrow stayed in cars they were in. Kimble and Taylor were in a car driven by Matthew Simms, who last week was charged in the August murders of four elderly people in the Glenview community.

Simms never got of the car he drove and was not in possession of a weapon in the 2015 murder. However, he did not show up for his court date in the case.

Werner told Hinton Simms was offered the same plea as Kimble and Marrow. “Simms didn’t get the benefit of the plea offer,” and his case in the Cambridge murder remains pending.

Kimble’s attorney, Damian Tucker of Rocky Mount, told the court his 23-year-old client has no prior record. He was riding in the backseat and had been picked up to be taken to Rocky Mount. “He graduated from Southeast High school and was working. He is still working. He had a hard time finding employment.”

Roanoke Rapids attorney Gilbert Chichester represented Marrow, 21, also a Southeast graduate who was a passenger in the other vehicle.

Chichester said all the evidence and discovery shows Marrow, like Kimble, never got out of the vehicle and was never in possession of a weapon. No gunpowder residue was found on him, the attorney said.

Both men received suspended sentences of 5 to 15 months and were both ordered to 36 months of supervised probation. They must go through Security Risk Group training. Successful completion of the SRG training would mean 12 months of unsupervised probation, Hinton said.

They were also sentenced to 40 hours of community service.

Taphil Yancy and Kenneth Westcott are expected to take pleas Thursday.

Simms appearance in the Cambridge case has yet to be set.

A ceremony in his honor will take place at center court at Becker Village Mall Saturday at 11 a.m. This event is free to the public and all are encouraged to attend.

Pulley was born in 1951 in Roanoke Rapids and attended William R. Davie High School.

Upon his graduation in 1969, he made the decision to join the United States Marine Corps.

In June of 1969 he was assigned to Parris Island, South Carolina, for basic training.

After completion of basic and other required training, he was deployed to South Vietnam in February of 1970.

He earned a Purple Heart when he was wounded during his tour of duty. He was then sent to Guam Naval Hospital for treatment and was later sent to Okinawa until 1971.

After his wartime service, he excelled in schooling and became an expert in what is known today as cyber security.

During his 23-year career in the Marines, he was stationed at numerous locations, including Charlotte, Camp Lejeune, Cherry Point, Twentynine Palms, and the Pentagon.  

He retired in 1992 as a Master Gunnery Sergeant and returned to the Roanoke Valley to settle down where he began his second career working for the U.S. Postal Service. He remained with the USPS until he retired.

He resides in Roanoke Rapids where he is enjoying his retirement by working around the house, decorating for the holidays and flying the nation’s and his service colors.

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A notice was sent out this morning saying council will meet at 5:15 p.m. at Lloyd Andrews City Meeting Hall for the purpose to consider a contract to sell city property.

City Manager Joseph Scherer confirmed this morning the meeting is specifically about the possible sale of the venue.

He declined comment on who is offering to buy the building and what the offering price is. He declined comment on what the intended use of the building will be.

Scherer did confirm the city plans to close the doors of the venue at the end of December to reduce financial obligations and the expense of running the venue.

The theater costs the city roughly $180,000 a year to operate and maintain. The city sees no profit from the shows held at the venue, he said.

Scherer said the city has been in talks with the interested party for a short time.

Council is expected to open the meeting and then go into closed session to discuss the details of the contract.

Any decision after discussions will be made in open session.

Councilman Wayne Smith, who has led the effort to sell the venue, declined immediate comment until he had more information.

Mayor Emery Doughtie declined immediate comment on details of the contract.

He did say, “It’s encouraging. Anytime we’re looking at changing ownership, it’s something we want to do.”

Scherer during budget deliberations in May recommended funding only six months of operational costs for the venue.

City Finance Director Leigh Etheridge said at the time $114,305 was budgeted for maintenance of the building. Maintenance and utilities are the two biggest expenses for the building. That budget line also includes what she called a small amount for the cost of personnel.

The total income for all shows put on for the past year, Etheridge said at the time, was about $30,000.

Scherer said the costs of keeping the theater open not only include the inside of the venue, but the streetlights throughout the entire area.

According to a preliminary report by Trooper D.L. Edwards of the state Highway Patrol, Mallori Regan was driving west on Highway 158 when she lost control of her vehicle. The vehicle ran off the left side of the road and struck a tree.

The only contributing factor in the crash, which occurred shortly before 11:30 a.m., was she crossed the centerline of the highway.

She was transported to Halifax Regional and then flown to Vidant in Greenville where she succumbed to her injuries.

Regan had been out applying for jobs at the time of crash.

The reason, Assistant District Attorney Keith Werner said in court today, is because of Simms’ and Yancy’s failure to cooperate with the state in the matter.

Kenneth Westcott, the fourth person to take a plea in the case, was sentenced today by superior court Judge Alma Hinton to 36 months of supervised probation. Like defendants Jequan Kimble and Dequan Marrow Tuesday, Westcott must successfully complete Special Risk Group training and at that point will be able to switch to unsupervised probation. Jamonte Green also pled and in September received the same sentences as Westcott, Kimble and Marrow.

Because he holds a job, Westcott will not have to perform community service.

Westcott pled guilty to a count of solicitation to commit gang activity in the case.

Michael Smith, Westcott’s Rocky Mount attorney, said his 29-year client works at Perdue. “He has two young children and attended Southeast until the tenth grade. His future plans are to get his CDL (Commercial Drivers License). He’s been respectful to me and has had no problems in a year and half.”

The plea dismisses the original murder charge filed against Westcott in the case.

Evidence presented Tuesday and again today shows only Dexter Taylor and Tony Hill were armed on June 22, 2015, when Cambridge was killed after his car was boxed in by two vehicles, one driven by Simms.

Taylor took a plea to manslaughter and is serving a six-year sentence and Hill received probation for shooting into an occupied vehicle to incite fear.

Evidence presented Tuesday showed intent in the Cambridge case was not to kill him, but to incite fear due to a gang dispute.

A bullet fired from Taylor’s AK-47, however, ricocheted from the ground and went through bottom of the vehicle Cambridge was in and struck him in the back.

Werner said Westcott provided “a very detailed proffer” on the case.

Werner said Simms denied he was at the scene of the crime. “Co-defendants said he was the driver of one vehicle.”

Simms is currently in custody and is facing multiple counts of murder in the shooting deaths of four elderly people in the Glenview community in August.

He was out on bond in the Cambridge murder at the time of the Glenview case.

There was no evidence, however, Simms had a weapon or got of the vehicle during the Cambridge murder.

The events which led to the release of Simms from jail in the Cambridge case came about after his attorney filed motions asking for the release of a thumb drive which contained a recorded interview of Green discussing the matter.

The state in open court was ordered to provide the thumb drive, which implicated Simms. “The sheriff’s office was unable to provide the prosecution with the thumb drive. I can’t produce what I don’t have,” Werner said.

The decision was then made by Hinton to release Simms from custody on $20,000 unsecured bond.

Halifax County Sheriff Wes Tripp said today, “We were unable to to produce the recording when we transferred it to a listening device because it had become damaged.”

He said, however, “We had detectives ready to testify as to what the taped recording said, not to mention other other co-defendants that had given evidence in the court file as to Matthew Simms’ involvement.”

Werner said the state hasn’t determined what charge Yancy will be prosecuted under. Simms could be prosecuted as an accessory. They are expected to appear in court in December

The state hasn’t yet discussed evidence in the Glenview case with law enforcement, Werner said.