Xzavion Rashawn Watts, a 20-year-old African American male, tragically lost his life on May 10, 2020, in Hickory, North Carolina. Xzavion, affectionately known as "Zay," was a former employee of PTI Hickory Springs and a member of New Hope Baptist Church. He was survived by his parents, Evangelist Tammy Sharpe-Watts and Anthony "Pernail" Watts, as well as his siblings and children.
On the fateful day of May 10, 2020, Xzavion Rashawn Watts and his 16-year-old cousin, Damarion Isaiah
Sharpe, were shot in the parking lot of the Save More Convenience Store on First Avenue SW in Hickory. The two young men had traveled to the store with two females after attending a family cookout. Upon arrival, the driver and front passenger exited the vehicle and walked toward the store. A Black male suspect, wearing a gray hooded coat and black pants, approached the parked car and fired multiple rounds from a handgun into the backseat, where Watts and Sharpe were seated. The suspect then fled the scene.
Damarion Sharpe was pronounced dead at the scene, while Xzavion Rashawn Watts was transported to Frye Regional Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries. The Hickory Police Department has been investigating the case, but as of now, no arrests have been made. The families of the victims have offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the shooter.
The community continues to mourn the loss of Xzavion Rashawn Watts and Damarion Isaiah Sharpe, and the search for justice remains ongoing. The Hickory Police Department encourages anyone with information about the case to come forward and assist in solving this tragic double homicide.
