On June 26, 2016, 19-year-old African American male Michael Jerome Wimbush Jr. was fatally shot in Goldsboro, North Carolina. At approximately 2:15 p.m., officers from the Goldsboro Police Department responded to reports of gunfire in the 900 block of Carver Drive. Upon arrival, they discovered Michael Jerome Wimbush Jr. lying on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds. Emergency responders pronounced him dead at the scene.
Investigators quickly identified 18-year-old Jacques Torraine Atkinson as the primary suspect in the shooting. Atkinson, also an African American male, resided on South Best Street in Goldsboro. Authorities issued an arrest warrant for him, labeling him as armed and dangerous. Approximately 18 hours after the incident, Atkinson surrendered himself at the Wayne County Magistrate's Office, where he was charged with murder and held without bond.
Further investigation revealed that the fatal shooting stemmed from a personal dispute between the two young men. Atkinson accused Michael Jerome Wimbush Jr. of making derogatory comments about his cousin on Facebook. This accusation led to a confrontation that culminated in the shooting.
In March 2017, a Wayne County grand jury indicted Jacques Torraine Atkinson on a first-degree murder charge for the death of 19-year-old African American male Michael Jerome Wimbush Jr. Subsequently, in January 2018, Atkinson entered a plea agreement, resulting in a prison sentence. The plea deal was accepted during court proceedings, concluding the legal process related to the case.
