Shots fired near Eastern Wayne Middle School
By John Joyce
Published in News on March 31, 2015 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/MELISSA KEY
Police officers investigate the scene of a drive-by shooting on Monday that caused a lockdown at Eastern Wayne Middle School, across the street on Central Heights Road. No injuries have been reported, and no charges have been filed yet in the investigation.
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News-Argus/ETHAN SMITH
Eastern Wayne Middle School went into lockdown for more than an hour on Monday after a drive-by shooting in the parking lot of the Five Star gas station across the street from the school. No injuries were reported.
Eastern Wayne Middle School went into lockdown for more than an hour Monday following a drive-by shooting in the parking lot of a gas station across the street from the school.
No injuries were reported.
Wayne County Public Schools confirmed the lockdown, and the Goldsboro Police Department is investigating the incident, which took place at the Five Star Discount Store, located at 3515 Central Heights Road, at 11:48 a.m.
"One car shot up another one," Goldsboro police Chief Jeff Stewart said.
Lauren Ward, 21, Javon Darden, 20, and Lamonte Morgan, 22, were riding in a maroon Ford Focus heading toward the exit of the gas station, a police report said.
They noticed a small silver car with a young black man holding a handgun out the passenger window. They swerved to avoid the shots and heard multiple rounds being fired at them, the report said. The driver was able to spin the car around back toward the store and the bullets struck only the vehicle.
Police officers blocked off Central Heights Road minutes after the shooting and were recovering shell casings from the street as far down as Waters Drive.
According to a Goldsboro Police Department press release, school officials heard the shots and immediately initiated a lockdown of the school. At the time of the lockdown, a school resource officer was conducting a walk-through of the school and assisted in the procedure.
Ken Derksen, director of communication services for Wayne County Public Schools, said officials promptly accessed the district's automated messaging system to get the word out to parents.
"A message was sent out letting them know that the school was in lockdown, that there was an incident that happened across the street and involved possible gunfire, and that all the students were safe and accounted for during that time."
After 1 p.m., the lockdown was lifted. The school released an automated message reiterating the information sent out earlier and providing an update confirming what was known at that time.
"The school administration stayed in contact with law enforcement -- Goldsboro Police Department -- and we had extra law enforcement on our campus during that time," Derksen said.
When the school day ended, a letter was sent home to parents containing information about the day's events. It also included a plea for anyone who had not received alerts during the day to notify the school and to update contact information.
No charges have been filed in response to the shooting. One of the victims, Morgan, was however charged with an open warrant for failure to appear in court on the charge of assault on a female. He was released on a $1,000 unsecured bond.
Stewart said his officers are continuing to investigate the shooting.
-- Staff writer Phyllis Moore contributed to this report