UPDATE: Three arrested for retaliatory shooting in Ahoskie double homicide; fourth person is sought

Published 11:20 am Sunday, April 16, 2023

UPDATED WITH CORRECT PHOTOS

AHOSKIE – The deadly shooting that claimed two lives near here Friday was a case of a verbal confrontation that ended when both shot and killed each other.

Cameron Jaiy’er Lassiter

Meanwhile, a retaliatory shooting just moments later sent one local man to the hospital while three others wound up in jail for attempted murder. A fourth person is sought in that case.

Hertford County Sheriff Dexter Hayes said the first shooting, which was reported at 1:39 p.m. on Friday at 302 Jernigan Airport Road, involved 46-year-old Derrick Lamont Monger of the Ahoskie area and 17-year-old Jaylen Lamar Carey who resided at the scene.

“Upon speaking with several witnesses at the crime scene, we determined that the two deceased males both had firearms and both suffered fatal gunshot wounds caused by each other,” Hayes said.

Hayes told the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald that there was some sort of altercation earlier that involved someone in Monger’s family and he apparently drove to the Jernigan Airport Road residence to confront that person.

“Our investigation showed that Mr. Monger approached Mr. Carey at which point an argument ensued, which ended with shots allegedly being fired by both men that resulted in their deaths,” Hayes said.

The double shooting, Hayes said, occurred in the backyard of the residence. He stated that upon the arrival of his deputies, both men were deceased.

However, this tragic case took another turn. Hayes said the investigation also revealed there was a secondary shooting at the same residence moments after the first one.

“The house was struck multiple times and one male found inside the residence was grazed by bullet fragments,” Hayes said.

Brandin Deandre Hawkins

Hayes identified that victim as 25-year-old Joshua Devonte Tann, who was transported to ECU Health Roanoke-Chowan Hospital for treatment and later released. According to Hayes, Tann is related to Carey.

“We discovered there were four primary suspects in the secondary shooting of the residence,” Hayes said. “Three of the four suspects remained on scene and were arrested. The suspects charged in this case were related to Derrick Monger.”

Hayes said the secondary shooting was in retaliation of the double homicide.

Under arrest at this time are Cameron Jaiy’er Lassiter, age 21; Justin Rashad Powell, age 20; and Brandin Deandre Hawkins, age 24.

Lassiter and Powell are locked up at the Hertford County Detention Center, each under a $1,000,000 secured bond for two counts of attempted murder and two counts of discharging a weapon into occupied property.

Hawkins was charged with one count of accessory after the fact and received a $5,000 secured bond.

All three men are scheduled to make their first appearances on April 18 in Hertford County Criminal District Court.

“This is another senseless act of violence that has taken yet another young man far to soon,” Hayes stated in a press release. “We as a society have to do better with our actions and set examples for our young men and women. This act of violence should never had happened.

Justin Rashad Powell

“Our children are our future and we raise them to the best of our ability and to have a senseless act of violence snatch them from us is heartbreaking,” Hayes added. “To the families, my heart goes out to you and we will continue to work this case to get as many answers as we can to why this happened.”

Hayes thanked the men and women of the Hertford County Sheriff’s Office “for the work they did on this tragic day. I also thank North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation for sending their Crime Scene team to assist with the investigation. Thank you to the Ahoskie Police Department for responding to this critical incident. Thank you to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol for their assistance.”

About Cal Bryant

Cal Bryant, a 40-year veteran of the newspaper industry, serves as the Editor at Roanoke-Chowan Publications, publishers of the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald, Gates County Index, and Front Porch Living magazine.

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