On March 17, 2024, 19-year-old Ashanti Mariah Monk of Angier, North Carolina, tragically lost her life during a shooting at a large party on Sundowner Lane. The Harnett County Sheriff's Office reported that deputies responded to multiple 911 calls around 1:47 a.m. concerning shots fired at a gathering with over 100 attendees. Upon arrival, they found Monk lying on the ground with a gunshot wound; she was pronounced dead at the scene.
In addition to Monk's death, two other individuals were injured in the incident. A 21-year-old man from Fuquay-Varina and a 19-year-old woman from Dunn arrived at Central Harnett Hospital with gunshot wounds shortly after the shooting. Both were treated and released by March 19.
The investigation led to the arrest of 23-year-old Darien Wellington Gayle of Dunn, North Carolina. On March 22, Gayle was apprehended following a car and foot chase that ended on East Townsend Street in Dunn. He faces multiple charges, including one count of murder for Monk's death, two counts of attempted murder, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, 14 counts of discharging a firearm into occupied property, possession of a firearm by a felon, felony fleeing to elude arrest with a motor vehicle, and driving with a revoked license.
Gayle is currently held without bond at the Harnett County Detention Center. The Harnett County Sheriff's Office continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting and has urged anyone with information to come forward.
Monk's family and friends mourn her untimely passing. A funeral service was held on March 23, 2024, at Dafford Funeral Home Chapel in Angier, followed by interment at Resthaven Cemetery in Dunn. She is remembered for her vibrant spirit and is survived by her parents, siblings, grandparents, nephews, and close friends.
