In the spring of 2024, the life of a young Black/African American man, 19-year-old Dontis Carter, was cut short in Wichita, Kansas. On the evening of April 9th, events unfolded at an apartment complex in the 2600 block of South Emporia that would end in tragedy. Carter was at the complex visiting an acquaintance when a dispute erupted between him and another teenager he knew. The argument escalated, and the sounds of gunfire pierced the night air.
When police responded to the scene at 9:39 p.m., they discovered Carter suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Despite the immediate medical attention provided by first responders, his injuries proved fatal, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the shooting moved quickly. Believing the incident to be targeted, as Carter and the other individual were acquainted, authorities swiftly identified a suspect. Later that same night, at 11:44 p.m., police conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of Harry and Hydraulic. A passenger in the vehicle, 19-year-old Damarqua Keyleon Kendell Edwards, was taken into custody. He was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder in connection with Dontis Carter's death. A firearm was also recovered by the police during their investigation.
Following the arrest, the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office reviewed the evidence gathered by the Wichita Police Department. The case took a significant turn on April 11, just two days after the shooting. After a thorough review of the evidence, the District Attorney, Marc Bennett, announced that no charges would be filed against Damarqua Edwards. The investigation concluded that Edwards had acted in self-defense during the altercation with Carter. As a result, the initial suspicion of murder was dismissed, and Edwards was cleared of wrongdoing in the fatal shooting.
