A party in North Carolina went from Halloween fun to violent tragedy in a matter of moments. Gunfire erupted at a house party in Maxton around 1 a.m. on October 25, 2025. Multiple people suffered gunshot wounds, and two died. Jessie Locklear Jr., 49, and Nehemiah Locklear, 16, both received fatal gunshot wounds. Now police want help identifying the shooter or shooters and ensuring the victims get justice.
The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office explained in a news release that deputies were en route to a noise complaint call at 298 Dixon Drive when dispatch received multiple calls about shots being fired in the area. A total of 13 people were shot, including the two fatalities. The victims ranged in age from 16 to 43 years old. Sources said Jessie Locklear Jr. and Nehemiah Locklear are not related.
Approximately 300 people attended the party, according to WSBT, and half left when police arrived. The news station shared an update from Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins.
“Some are cooperating, some are not cooperating,” he said. “Which is sadly common for a situation like this where you have this many people here its unfortunate that – because we’ve had another incident in the county a year or two ago with a similar scenario with over 150 people there and no one wanted to talk and it’s still an unsolved murder today.”
Tylon Locklear, 20, told WPDE the night of the shooting that he thought he was going to die. As gunfire rang out, he tried to run.
“The next thing you know, I got shot from behind and I just, and I fell on the straight to the ground and started bleeding out. And my friend, by the grace of God, my uncle, friend, Ethan and Caleb, that was, I was there with,” he said. “Walked up on me and found me and he picked me up and took me to the hospital.”
The Robesonian reported that police have identified a person of interest in the case, but have not named a suspect.
The sheriff’s office intends to find those responsible for the shooting and ensure they face the consequences. Wilkins is right. Alcohol makes people feel fearless, and they do things they might not do under normal circumstances. It’s scary to think just how fast this situation turned deadly and how much worse it could have been.
“This was yet another senseless act of gun violence that has taken the lives of two individuals and left many others seriously injured,” Wilkins shared in the news release. “What makes this even more disturbing is the involvement of teenagers, alcohol, and guns at a large house party. Dozens of videos posted from the party on multiple platforms, simply show that Alcohol and Guns don’t mix, regardless of age.”
Anyone with information should contact the sheriff’s office at 910-671-3100 or email [email protected].
