Case Update: La Grange Man indicted on federal charges in 2024 Jay’s Place shooting
Case Update
On February 11, 2025, the Kinston Police Department's representative for the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), appeared before a Federal Grand Jury and Dontrieves Hooker was indicted for Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted Felon. This charge comes as a result of his involvement in the shooting incident that took place on February 3, 2024, outside of Jay’s Place Night Club.
Hooker was arrested on March 31, 2025, while at a scheduled court appearance at the Lenoir County Court House. He has since been placed on a federal hold and will not be released until the case is complete in court.
On February 3, 2024, at approximately 2:45 am, members of the Kinston Police Department were called to Jay’s Place, 110 W. Blount St. Kinston, N.C., to assist the staff with crowd control as a party was ending. Within minutes of officers arriving, a confrontation between patrons took place, and officers heard multiple shots being fired. The suspect fled the area and was quickly identified as Dontrieves Hooker, 44, of LaGrange. It was determined that Hooker and several unknown females were involved in a verbal confrontation when Hooker brandished a firearm and discharged two rounds at the female. The shots missed the female and struck a nearby residence that was occupied.
Warrants were obtained for Hooker, and the following evening, he surrendered to law enforcement. Hooker was charged with Discharging a Weapon into Occupied Property, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Going Armed to the Terror of the Public, and Littering. He was placed in the Lenoir County Jail under a secured bond.
The Kinston Police Department makes it a priority to investigate all crimes perpetrated in our city. We will investigate such cases without compromise for crime and continue to seek assistance from the community we proudly serve. If anyone has information about this incident, please call the Kinston Police Department’s Tips Line at 252-939-4020, Lenoir County Crime Stoppers at 252-523-4444, or through the Tip411 App that is available on both Apple and Android devices. Calls to Crime Stoppers are confidential and anonymous, and the caller may be eligible for a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest.
Neuse News is a locally-owned small business startup in downtown Kinston. Our goal is to provide free, hyper-local news to Lenoir, Greene and Jones counties. The kind of news our grandparents read in a format fit for today's times.
We provide this by having supportive advertisers and we encourage you to click on their ads, shop with them, and eat with them. Every bit of financial support is important to help us sustain free, hyper-local news.
Please consider supporting Neuse News with as little as $5 one-time or via a monthly option. Every little bit helps us, help you.
