In the early morning hours of November 2, 2024, a gathering at a home on Chestnut Drive in Elkton, Maryland, took a tragic turn, ending the life of 26-year-old Tamir Rasheek Davis of New Castle, Delaware. An argument that began inside the residence spilled out into the street, where the scene devolved into chaos and violence. Gunshots erupted into the crowd of people who had been at the party, striking multiple individuals.
In the aftermath, troopers responded to a report of a man lying
in the roadway shortly after 6:00 a.m. Davis, suffering from gunshot wounds, was transported by private vehicle to Christianna Hospital, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. The shooting resulted in a total of four victims. Another man, Darius Anthony Blalock, also 26, was found deceased on the side of southbound I-95. Two other individuals, a man and a woman, were also injured in the shooting but survived.
The investigation into the double homicide led authorities to a suspect in Delaware. On December 4, 2024, Justice Schmeek Pratt, a 23-year-old from Bear, Delaware, was arrested by the Maryland State Apprehension Team with assistance from Delaware law enforcement. A search of the residence where Pratt was apprehended uncovered two 9mm pistols and ammunition. Pratt was subsequently charged with second-degree murder, assault, reckless endangerment, and other firearms-related offenses. He was awaiting an initial appearance before a court commissioner in Cecil County as the investigation by the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit continued.
