COMO – A former prep athlete lost his life here Sunday morning.

Curtis Wayne Jenkins, 21, who played basketball and football at Hertford County High School, was shot to death outside Diamonds Event Center on U.S. 258 between Como and Murfreesboro.

Jenkins and his first cousin, Darryl McKinley Jenkins, 16, were both shot in an altercation that occurred shortly before 3 a.m. Sunday.

“We received a call at 2:53 a.m. from a female who indicated someone had been shot at Diamonds Event Center,” Hertford County Sheriff Juan Vaughan said. “Once deputies arrived, they found out the subjects had been transported to Roanoke-Chowan Hospital by personal vehicle.”

Vaughan said Curtis Jenkins died at the hospital, but that Darryl Jenkins had been treated and released.

“Through our investigation, we found out an altercation occurred between several subjects outside the club,” the Sheriff said. “Several shots were fired.”

He said the investigation revealed multiple shots being fired and that multiple shells had been recovered.

Sunday afternoon, after the Sheriff’s Office made known their intentions to arrest a suspect, that person turned himself in.

Terrence Warren Reid, 23, of Conway was charged with first degree murder and attempted first degree murder and placed in the Hertford County Jail under no bond.

Afterwards, the Sheriff’s Office obtained a warrant to search another residence in Murfreesboro where Reid lived at times. Upon searching the residence, they found a sawed off shotgun and additionally charged Reid with possession of a weapon of mass destruction.

The Sheriff did indicate the shotgun was not the murder weapon.

Captain Marty Davis and Lt. Will Liverman of the Hertford County Sheriff’s Office conducted the initial investigation and were aided by Sgt. Johnny Joyner and Deputies Dexter Hayes and Tom Helms.

The investigation is continuing and other charges could be filed at a later date.

“I think young people need to realize guns are not toys,” Sheriff Vaughan said. “This is real life. When you go out to have a good time and take weapons, you are looking for trouble.”

Vaughan also said he was concerned because the investigation revealed a number of 16- and 17-year-olds at the club at the early morning hour.

“Someone needs to wake up and realize this is not the place for those 16- and 17-year-olds, especially at 3 a.m.,” Vaughan stressed. “Parents need to know where their children are. There’s no excuse for a parent not to know where a 16 or 17 year-old child is at 3 a.m.

“We have responsibilities as adults raising children,” he added. “We need to know where our children are at night.”

Another major concern for the sheriff is the indication that the altercation was related to an Ahoskie-Murfreesboro issue.

“God created us all,” he said. “Children do not decide where they live. Young folks need to realize how it is and realize that you’re not better than anyone else because you live in Ahoskie or St. John or Murfreesboro.

“If you can’t get along, then at least separate,” he added. “I guess the bottom line of what I’m saying is we need the help of parents and guardians.”