Juvenile Charged Following Shooting on Williams Loop Road
A juvenile has been taken into custody following a shooting that left a 19-year-old man seriously injured.
On May 8, 2026, deputies with the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 700 block of Williams Loop Road in reference to a reported shooting. Upon arrival, deputies learned that 19-year-old E.J. Jaquai Smith had sustained gunshot wounds to the arm and abdomen.
Smith was transported by EMS to ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville for treatment of his injuries.
The suspects involved fled the scene prior to deputies' arrival.
A K-9 search of the area led to the recovery of an AR-style rifle believed to be connected to the incident.
Through the investigation, detectives identified one of the individuals involved as a 17-year-old juvenile. During interviews with investigators, the juvenile admitted to being present at the scene and stated he was involved in a struggle with Smith over the firearm when it discharged.
The juvenile was taken into custody and charged with:
Attempted First-Degree Murder
Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon
Larceny of a Firearm
The juvenile was placed in secure custody.
The investigation remains ongoing as detectives continue working to identify and locate the other individuals who were present during the incident.
Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to contact the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office at (252) 559-6100 or Lenoir County Crime Stoppers at (252) 523-4444. All information may be provided anonymously.
