On April 14, 2023, at approximately 2:54 a.m., deputies from the Robeson County Sheriff's Office responded to a shooting incident at a residence near Pinehurst Avenue in Fairmont, North Carolina. Upon arrival, they discovered 31-year-old Rashawn McLean suffering from gunshot wounds. McLean was initially transported to UNC Southeastern Medical Center and later transferred to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center for further treatment. Despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries on April 27, 2023.
Following an investigation, authorities arrested 20-year-old Jeremy A. Sweat of Fairmont on April 28, 2023. Sweat was charged with first-degree murder and discharging a weapon in an enclosure to incite fear. He was booked into the Robeson County Detention Center without bond. The investigation was conducted by the Robeson County Sheriff's Office Homicide Division, with assistance from the Fairmont Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Carolina Regional Fugitive Task Force, and the Robeson County District Attorney's Office.
McLean, affectionately known as "Da Moe," was born on October 7, 1991, in Lumberton, North Carolina. He was remembered as an easy-going individual with a big heart, known for expressing love to those around him. He enjoyed playing spades and serving as a DJ at local parties. A devout Christian, McLean was a member of the Star of Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church in Fairmont, where he was known as a "walking bible." He is survived by his parents, siblings, grandparents, and numerous other relatives and friends.
A visitation and celebration of life service were held on May 4, 2023, at the Star of Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church, followed by interment at Fairmont Memorial Park. The community mourned the loss of McLean, whose life was tragically cut short by the senseless act of violence. The arrest of Sweat provided some measure of closure, though the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting remained ongoing.
