OAK CITY – An Ahoskie native, working security at a private party, was murdered here early Sunday morning at a nightclub located off NC 11 in Martin County.

Edward Leon Chamblee, Jr., 43, now residing Greenville, had been hired by an individual to serve as a security officer during an after-Christmas party on Dec. 27 at Klub Xplosion. Tracy Eley, who owns the nightclub, told www.witn.com that she had rented the building for a private party on Saturday (Dec. 26) and there were approximately 100 people in attendance.

Eley said that Chamblee, a 1989 graduate of Hertford County High School, had removed several people from the party and was re-entering the nightclub through the front door when several shots were fired, striking the building.

According to a press release from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to the nightclub at approximately 2:40 a.m. on Sunday in reference to a reported shooting. Upon arrival, a shooting victim was located and it was found that the victim was deceased. That victim was later identified as Chamblee.

Martin County Sheriff’s Public Information Officer Lt. Drew Robinson said the entire area was secured and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation was contacted to assist with the investigation and the processing of the scene.

Robinson added that approximately 20 minutes after the initial 911 call, deputies received information that there were two additional shooting victims; one located at Vidant Edgecombe Hospital in Tarboro and the other at Martin General Hospital in Williamston. He said both of those victims, whose identities have not yet been made public, were eventually transported to Vidant Medical Center in Greenville.

Robinson said this is an active investigation and no further information can be released. He asks that any witness who were present at Klub Xplosion at the time of the shooting, or anyone who may have information related to the incident, to contact the Martin County Sheriff’s Office at 252-789-4500, Martin County Crime Stoppers at 252-792-8800 or the SBI Hotline at 336-209-5201.