Jessie Locklear Jr., 49, a Black/African American male, was shot and killed in the early hours of October 25, 2025, when gunfire erupted at a large Halloween party on Dixon Drive just outside Maxton in Robeson County, North Carolina. Deputies were already responding to a loud music complaint around 1:15 a.m. when 911 calls reported the shooting; by the time law enforcement arrived, more than 150 people had fled what authorities estimate was a crowd of roughly 300 attendees ranging in age from
pre-teens to about 50. Locklear and 16-year-old Nehemiah Locklear were pronounced dead at the scene; both were identified by the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office as being from Lumberton. In total, 13 people were shot, with the injured ranging in age from 17 to 43, and several were hospitalized with life-threatening wounds.
Investigators described a chaotic scene littered with signs of a hastily organized party and said the violence appeared to stem from a confrontation between two groups in the crowd. Sheriff Burnis Wilkins condemned the presence of firearms mixed with underage drinking and noted that alcohol law enforcement joined the investigation because of concerns about minors consuming alcohol at the event. The gathering reportedly did not trigger local permitting thresholds, complicating oversight ahead of the party.
As of the most recent updates, no arrests had been announced. The sheriff’s office has said there were multiple shooters and multiple weapons involved and that investigators have identified persons of interest while appealing for witnesses and partygoers—many of whom left before deputies arrived—to share videos or tips that could identify those responsible. Authorities emphasized that the case remains active and urged the public’s cooperation to help bring answers to the victims’ families.
