On May 10, 2024, 19-year-old Rakylah Lenei Porter-Albritton of Washington, North Carolina, was fatally shot. Authorities responded to a shooting incident on Pontiac Drive around 7:30 p.m., discovering that Porter-Albritton had been transported by private vehicle to ECU Health Beaufort Hospital. She was treated for a gunshot wound to the upper chest but succumbed to her injuries shortly after arrival.
Investigators determined that the shooting occurred in the 1200 block of Maple Street. Following a month-long investigation, on June 11, a juvenile petition was issued for a 17-year-old male on an open count of murder. The suspect was taken into custody on June 13 and placed in juvenile detention pending further court proceedings.
Funeral services for Porter-Albritton were held on May 24, 2024, at Kingdom Life Community Church in Washington, with burial following at the Cobb Family Cemetery. Public visitation took place on May 23, and the family received friends at the home of her grandmother, Ms. Cleo Porter, in Washington.
The tragic death of Rakylah Porter-Albritton has deeply affected the Washington community, prompting ongoing discussions about youth violence and community safety. The arrest of the 17-year-old suspect underscores the serious legal consequences of such actions, with the community awaiting further developments in the judicial process.
