Police brief council: arrest made in double homicide; department outlines gang, anti-violence activity

Rocky Mount Police officials updated the council at the Committee of the Whole meeting on March 24 about a recent double homicide, gang activity and the departments allocation of enforcement and technology resources.

The police chief said officers responded around 10:45 p.m. to reports of shots fired on East Raleigh Boulevard near Friendly Way in the Hillsdale area. Investigators found three people shot; one person was pronounced dead at the scene, a second later died of life-threatening injuries, and a third sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The chief said early investigative work indicated gang involvement and drugs were part of the incident.

Police said they used multiple investigative technologies, canvassed neighbors, and worked with community informants to develop leads. The department located and arrested a person of interest in Winston-Salem with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service; warrants obtained include two counts of first-degree murder and related charges. The chief said the arrested person was a validated gang member known to local authorities; investigators are still developing motive and additional persons of interest may be identified.

The chief also provided a broader briefing on gang activity and violent crime trends in Rocky Mount. The department reported 11 validated gangs and said about 274 individuals were on its validated list at the time of the briefing; staff noted the number fluctuates as members are revalidated or fall off the list after five years without revalidation. The chief described the three crime types most commonly connected to gang members as drug offenses, aggravated assaults/shootings, and simple assaults.

Police officials credited investments in investigative technology and specialized units for reductions in violent crime over several years. The chief said the department has seen roughly an 8% drop in violent crime in the most recent year and around an 18%–20% decline over four years, attributing some gains to license-plate readers, shared video feeds, and an in-house firearms-examination capability that reduces dependence on state labs.

The chief described three specialized units—narcotics/vice, a violent-crime and apprehension team, and task-force officers working with federal partners—that together are supported by roughly 20 budgeted positions; he said recent promotions have left vacancies the department expects to backfill with recruits currently in training.

Council members asked about the potential for retaliation following the arrest, coordination with neighboring jurisdictions, diversity within specialty units, outreach to schools and the homeless population, and strategies to prevent violence beyond arrests. The chief said investigators were monitoring locations identified in retaliation-intel reports, continuing the homicide investigation, and would coordinate with local and federal partners where appropriate. He also emphasized community outreach, recruitment diversity goals, and the need for continued partnership to address underlying drivers of crime such as poverty and behavioral-health needs.

No policy changes or formal council actions were requested during the briefing; the chief requested continuing support for technology and staffing investments and said the department would provide requested demographic breakdowns for specialty units.