Najee Ali Baker, a 21-year-old African American male, tragically lost his life on January 20, 2018, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Najee was a walk-on football player at Winston-Salem State University. He was attending a party at Wake Forest University when he was shot. The incident occurred at the Barn, an event facility on Wake Forest's campus. Najee was taken to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries from the gunshot wound.
The shooting was reported to be an isolated incident, and no immediate arrests were made following the event.
The investigation into Najee Ali Baker's death was conducted by the Winston-Salem Police Department, in collaboration with the Wake Forest University and Winston-Salem State University Police Departments. On April 11, 2018, Jakier Shanique Austin, a 21-year-old African American male, was arrested in Charlotte, North Carolina, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. Austin was charged with murder, possession of a gun on educational property, and carrying a concealed weapon. He was taken into custody without incident and held at the Mecklenburg County Jail with no bond allowed, pending his transfer to Forsyth County.
In June 2020, Jakier Shanique Austin pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in Forsyth County Superior Court. Initially charged with first-degree murder, Austin's plea deal resulted in a reduced charge due to the lack of cooperation from witnesses. As a result, Austin was sentenced to seven years in prison. The plea deal and subsequent sentencing brought some closure to the case, although the community and Najee Ali Baker's family continued to mourn the loss of the young athlete. The investigation remained active and ongoing, with authorities urging anyone with information to come forward.
