Sateria Zoe Fleming, a 16-year-old African American girl from Greensboro, NC, tragically lost her life on March 27, 2018, after being shot the previous night. Sateria, affectionately known as Zoe, was walking along Baker Avenue when she was shot around 9 p.m. She was taken to Moses Cone Hospital in critical condition and was declared brain dead the following day.
Zoe was on life support until she passed away.
The investigation into Zoe's death led the police to a vehicle they found driving on Battleground Avenue the day after the shooting. When the police attempted to pull the car over, two men tried to flee. One of them, Courtney Baskins, 22, pulled a gun, prompting Greensboro Police Cpl. Dwayne Diaz to fire at him. Baskins was taken to the hospital in stable condition and was charged with Felony Assault on a Law Enforcement Official. He remains a person of interest in Zoe's death.
The other man who tried to run from the vehicle, Hajji Dequan Johnson, 20, was arrested for Carrying A Concealed Weapon and Resisting a Public Officer. However, the police do not believe he was involved in Zoe's shooting. The car's driver, Channay Ericka Morehead, 27, was arrested and charged with First Degree Murder in connection with Zoe's death.
In the courtroom, Forrest Fleming, Zoe's father, expressed his grief and the pain of losing his daughter. He also showed compassion towards the family of Hajji Johnson, who was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to a mandatory 16 years in prison. Forrest acknowledged the tragedy of the situation, noting that while Johnson may have a chance to rehabilitate himself after serving his sentence, his daughter would never have that opportunity.
The community came together to mourn Zoe's loss, holding a vigil and creating a memorial at the site where she was shot. Zoe's father described her as a lovable girl who dreamed of becoming a model. The police continue to seek information from witnesses to piece together the events leading up to Zoe's death.
