In the early morning hours of November 17, 2022, the life of Marquise Kesi Devon McLean, a 34-year-old Black male, was tragically cut short in the parking lot of the Mercer Mall in Bluefield, West Virginia. The shooting occurred just after 2:30 a.m., shattering the predawn stillness. When authorities arrived at the scene, they found McLean unresponsive, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
He was pronounced dead at the location.
Originally from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and having grown up in Thomasville, where he attended Thomasville High School, McLean was known by the nickname "Kesi." He was a father of two sons and was employed as a machine operator. His interests included making music as a rapper, being outdoors, traveling, and spending time with his family.
The investigation into McLean's death was quickly classified as a homicide by the Mercer County Sheriff's Department. Their efforts led to the arrest of a 17-year-old male suspect just a few days later, on a Monday following the incident. The teenage suspect was taken into custody and was being held at the Gene Spadaro Juvenile Detention Center to await his preliminary hearing. The motive and the specific circumstances leading up to the fatal encounter in the mall parking lot remained part of the ongoing investigation by deputies.
