In the early morning hours of July 30, 2023, a large gathering in the Fairlawn area of Pulaski County, Virginia, turned tragic, leading to the death of 24-year-old Mathew Cameron Carper of Blacksburg. Authorities were called to a location on Overlook Lane around 1 a.m. following reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, deputies discovered Mathew Cameron Carper inside a vehicle, suffering from a gunshot wound.
According to witnesses at the scene, a fight had erupted among several individuals
at the party. Moments after the altercation began, a gunshot was heard, causing many people to flee the area. Emergency medical treatment was provided to Carper at the scene before he was transported to a local hospital and subsequently flown to Roanoke Memorial Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation into the shooting led the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office to identify a suspect. On August 8, 2023, authorities arrested Korey Trevon Rice of Pulaski in connection with Carper's death. Rice faced multiple charges, including second-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, malicious wounding, and brandishing a firearm.
