Jayden Hunter Hicks, 19, a White male from Salisbury, North Carolina, died on June 21, 2025. In the early morning hours, deputies were called to the 100 block of Hutchins Way after a young man phoned 911 and said he had shot his friend. Responding officers found Jayden Hunter Hicks with a gunshot wound; he was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators later said the two teens had been in a bedroom listening to music when a rifle—believed by the shooter to be unloaded—was picked up,
pointed toward Jayden Hunter Hicks, and fired.
Authorities identified the shooter as 19-year-old Colton Alexander Adkins, who told deputies he thought the rifle was not loaded. According to the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, Adkins immediately called 911 and was instructed to perform life-saving measures until first responders arrived, but Jayden Hunter Hicks could not be revived. The sheriff’s office characterized the incident as a tragedy and reiterated basic firearm safety rules in the aftermath.
An arrest followed quickly. Deputies charged Colton Alexander Adkins with involuntary manslaughter and transported him to the Rowan County Detention Center, where he was held on a $10,000 secured bond. Local outlets reported the same sequence of events and charging decision, describing the shooting as accidental and the investigation as ongoing at that time.
Away from the scene, remembrances sketched the life that was cut short. Obituary notices for Jayden Hunter Hicks describe a Salisbury teen who loved the outdoors, fishing, skateboarding, golfing, and dirt bikes, and who had attended Carson and East Rowan High Schools before enrolling with Penn Foster Online High School. Family and friends gathered in early July to mourn and celebrate his life.
