Malique Shaquille Medley, a 30-year-old Black / African American male from Beckley, West Virginia, was killed late on the night of April 20, 2023, while riding through the East Park area with his family. He was in the front passenger seat of a vehicle driven by his wife, Rhoneka Medley, with their children also inside, when the car reached the area of Scott Avenue near Eighth Street.
What should have been an ordinary drive through the neighborhood turned into a sudden ambush when a man standing nearby opened fire into the passenger side of the vehicle.
Police said at least 32 shots were fired during the attack. The gunfire struck Malique as his wife and children sat only feet away from him. His wife managed to drive him to a local hospital after the shooting, but he died from his injuries. His wife and children were not physically injured, though they were left to witness the violence that took his life. Family accounts later described the trauma of that night, with Rhoneka saying she had watched him take his last breath.
Malique was remembered by relatives as a husband, father, son, and someone deeply loved in Beckley. His obituary said he was born on November 22, 1992, in Beckley to Willie C. Burns Jr. and Donna V. Medley. He was described as a high school graduate who worked as a professional rapper and housekeeper, a man with a heart of gold who loved music, basketball, the beach, and most of all his family. He and Rhoneka had children together, and he also had bonus children who adored him.
The shooting came during a violent stretch in Beckley. Two days before Malique was killed, a 17-year-old had been shot in the Harper Road area while walking home from work. Two days after Malique’s death, another shooting injured multiple people and led to the death of 26-year-old Lashawn Shelton. The series of shootings shook the East Beckley community, prompting residents to march for peace and speak out at a city council meeting about fear, grief, and the need for unity.
Investigators said three men were seen running from the area of Scott Avenue toward Ninth Street shortly after Malique was shot. Beckley police later said they believed the Thursday shooting that killed Malique and the Saturday shooting that followed were connected and appeared to be targeted incidents between groups of individuals rather than random acts of violence. Deputy Chief David Allard also said detectives were looking into the possibility that Malique’s killing was retaliatory, though Malique’s mother publicly disputed that idea and said the family was desperate for justice.
No public reports located identified a named suspect, and no arrest was announced in Malique Medley’s killing. Police continued asking the public for information, while his family said they felt the case had reached a standstill. His mother, Donna Medley, said the family was still grieving every day and also feared the people responsible were still nearby. As of the available public reporting, the case remained under investigation, with no reported charges, trial, or conviction connected to Malique’s death.
