On November 10, 2024, in Maxton, North Carolina, 7-year-old Qua'Zariya G. Williams tragically lost her life in a shooting incident. While riding in a car with her mother and three others along East Graham Street around 2 p.m., shots were fired into the vehicle. Qua'Zariya sustained critical injuries and was transported to Scotland Memorial Hospital in Laurinburg, where she was pronounced dead.
Authorities quickly identified the shooter as 31-year-old Dedric Page, Qua'Zariya's father. Preliminary investigations suggest that the intended target was Qua'Zariya's mother, following a domestic dispute between Page and her. At the time of the incident, Page was out on bond for a prior weapons charge, raising concerns about his access to firearms.
Page was apprehended shortly after the shooting and faces multiple charges, including first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle, discharging a firearm in city limits, and possession of a firearm by a felon. He is currently held at the Robeson County Detention Center without bond, pending further legal proceedings.
The Maxton community is mourning the loss of Qua'Zariya, remembered as a sweet girl and a cheerleader with a promising future. Her death has prompted discussions about domestic violence and gun control, as residents and officials seek to prevent such tragedies in the future.
