A 20-year-old man is accused of murder after police say a fight between two groups turned deadly during Winston-Salem State University’s homecoming weekend.
Story Highlights
- Police say a 19-year-old man was shot and killed on campus after an argument between two groups grew into a fight.
- Ziyaire Antonyo Spinks, 20, is charged with murder and is held without bond. Police say he is not a student at the school.
- A second shooting on campus less than 40 minutes later wounded two more people. No arrest has been announced in that case.
- The university canceled its last homecoming events and is offering counseling.
Fight Between Two Groups Ends in Gunfire
The first shooting happened at about 9:45 p.m. on Saturday, November 7, in the 600 block of South Martin Luther King Jr. Drive on the campus in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Police say an argument between two groups of people grew into a physical fight. During that fight, police say, Ziyaire Antonyo Spinks fired a gun into the group. Spinks is accused, not convicted, and the case will be decided in court.
City police officers, campus police and county deputies were already on campus to help with homecoming events. They heard the shots and responded. They found 19-year-old Peyton Izaia Patterson with a gunshot wound and tried to save him, but he died. A 22-year-old woman, Alyssa Janae Ellerbee, was also shot. She was treated at a hospital and released. Police have not said whether either victim was a student.
Arrest and Charges
Police arrested Spinks on Sunday, November 8. Assistant Police Chief Jason Swaim said the investigation led officers to him. Spinks is charged with murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill causing serious injury, and having a gun on school property. He is being held without bond, which means he cannot pay money to get out of jail while the case goes on.
A second man, 18-year-old Cequan Warren Brower, is charged with affray in the fight that came before the shooting. Affray is a crime for fighting in a public place in a way that frightens other people. His bond was set at $50,000. Police have not said he fired a gun. Police said neither man is a student at the university. Both men were scheduled to make their first court appearance on Monday, November 9.
A Second Shooting the Same Night
At about 10:22 p.m., police heard more gunshots near Victory Circle and Cromartie Street, also on campus. Two people were hurt. Najir Pearsall, 21, was listed in critical but stable condition. Makyiah Ward, 20, was listed as stable. Swaim said gunfire broke out after an argument. Police found a vehicle connected to that shooting, but no arrest has been announced, and police have not linked it to the first shooting.
Police Chief William Penn Jr. said officers will find everyone responsible. He asked people not to point fingers while detectives work. “It’s important that the blame of these tragic events go to the right people and that’s the folks who committed these acts,” Penn said.
A Campus Shaken During a Celebration
Chancellor Bonita J. Brown called the shootings “senseless violence.” She said the campus is secure, with no active threat, and that extra officers will stay on campus. The school canceled its remaining Sunday events and set up counseling for students and staff.
Forsyth County Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough Jr. asked the community to pray and to come together. A local church planned a call to prayer for the university community in place of a homecoming church service.
Sources:
abcnews.com, wxii12.com, wxii12.com, wfdd.org, whio.com, abc45.com