In the early morning hours of November 2, 2024, a gathering at a home on Chestnut Drive in Elkton, Maryland, turned deadly, claiming the life of 26-year-old Darius Anthony Blalock of Bear, Delaware. An altercation that began inside the residence spilled out into the street, where the scene devolved into chaos and violence.
Amid the crowd, a man opened fire, unleashing a hail of bullets that would leave two dead and two others wounded.
Blalock was later discovered on the side of southbound I-95 at the 107.2-mile marker, where he was pronounced dead at the scene. Another man, 26-year-old Tamir Rasheek Davis of New Castle, Delaware, was also fatally shot. Two other individuals, a man and a woman, sustained gunshot wounds but survived.
The investigation into the quadruple shooting led authorities to 23-year-old Justice Schmeek Pratt of Bear, Delaware. He was apprehended at his residence on December 4, 2024, by a team of law enforcement officers from both Maryland and Delaware. A search of his home uncovered two 9mm pistols and ammunition.
Pratt was subsequently charged with two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of attempted second-degree murder, assault, reckless endangerment, and other firearm-related offenses. In May 2025, a Cecil County jury found Pratt guilty on 30 charges, including the murders of Darius Blalock and Tamir Davis. On September 5, 2025, Justice Schmeek Pratt was sentenced to a total of 180 years in prison for his role in the fatal shooting.
