Marquez Lewis, 28, Fatally Shot Near Stadiem Drive and Nobles Lane in Kinston; Police Continue Investigation.

Kinston, NC – The quiet early morning hours of Thursday, May 7, 2026, were shattered by the sound of gunfire in a residential area of Kinston, leaving a 28-year-old man dead and a community searching for answers. The Kinston Police Department has identified the victim as Marquez Lewis, a local resident whose unexpected and violent death has sent shockwaves through this close-knit Eastern North Carolina city.

Officers were dispatched to the area near the intersection of Stadiem Drive and Nobles Lane at approximately 12:15 a.m. following multiple reports of shots fired. When law enforcement arrived on the scene, they discovered Lewis suffering from at least one gunshot wound. Without hesitation, officers began administering life-saving measures, including applying pressure to the wound and performing CPR, in a desperate attempt to stabilize him until emergency medical services could take over. Despite their swift and valiant efforts, and the subsequent advanced care provided by paramedics, Marquez Lewis succumbed to his injuries at the scene.

The news of his passing spread rapidly through Kinston, a city of roughly 20,000 residents that serves as the seat of Lenoir County. By sunrise, friends, family members, and local community leaders had begun gathering at the intersection, some laying flowers and candles at a makeshift memorial while others stood in stunned silence, struggling to process the loss of a young life taken far too soon.

The Victim: Remembering Marquez Lewis

Those who knew Marquez Lewis describe him as a vibrant, kind-hearted individual who was deeply connected to his community. A 2016 graduate of Kinston High School, Lewis was well-known in local recreational sports leagues, particularly basketball and flag football, where his competitive spirit and infectious smile earned him friendships that lasted well beyond the playing field.

“Marquez was the type of person who would give you the shirt off his back,” said a cousin who spoke to local reporters but asked to remain unnamed out of respect for the family’s privacy. “He had this laugh that filled up a whole room. He wasn’t about violence. He was about bringing people together. This doesn’t make any sense.”

Friends recall Lewis as a dedicated worker who held a job at a local logistics warehouse. He had recently been talking about enrolling in a trade school to become an electrician, following in the footsteps of an uncle he greatly admired. On social media, tributes poured in throughout Thursday morning, with one childhood friend writing: “My brother. My best friend. I can’t believe you’re gone. Who’s gonna have my back now? Rest easy, Marquez. We got it from here.”

Lewis’s family, who resides in the Stadiem Drive area, has released a brief statement through a family spokesperson: “Our hearts are shattered. Marquez was a son, a brother, a nephew, and a father to a beautiful little girl. We are asking for privacy as we try to understand why this happened and as we prepare to lay him to rest. We also ask anyone with information to please come forward. Help us find justice for Marquez.”

The mention of Lewis’s young daughter has added an even more heartbreaking dimension to the tragedy. According to relatives, his daughter, who is just five years old, had spent the previous evening with him, laughing and watching cartoons before he put her to bed. Hours later, he was gone.

The Scene: Stadiem Drive and Nobles Lane

The shooting occurred near the intersection of Stadiem Drive and Nobles Lane, a predominantly residential area on the northwest side of Kinston. The neighborhood consists of single-family homes and a few small apartment complexes. Several residents reported hearing what they initially thought were fireworks or a car backfiring, but the single, sharp report of a gunshot was followed by an eerie silence, then the wail of sirens.

“I was just going to bed when I heard it — one loud pop,” said a neighbor who lives approximately 50 yards from the intersection. “I looked out my window and saw a dark figure running away from the corner. Then I saw someone lying on the ground. I called 911 immediately.”

Police have not yet confirmed whether the suspect fled on foot or in a vehicle, nor have they released a description of any potential suspect. Crime scene technicians spent several hours Thursday morning combing the area for physical evidence, including shell casings, footprints, and any potential surveillance footage from nearby homes. The Kinston Police Department has also requested that any residents with doorbell or security cameras review their footage from between 11:45 p.m. on May 6 and 12:30 a.m. on May 7.

The intersection remained cordoned off with yellow crime scene tape until approximately 7:00 a.m., causing minor traffic delays for early morning commuters. By mid-morning, the scene had been cleared, but a heavy police presence remained in the neighborhood as detectives conducted door-to-door interviews.

Investigation: No Suspects Named, Motive Unknown

As of Thursday afternoon, the Kinston Police Department has not announced any arrests or publicly identified any suspects in connection with the fatal shooting of Marquez Lewis. Detectives are actively following leads and gathering evidence, but the lack of immediate witnesses willing to come forward has been a challenge.

“We are asking anyone who may have seen something — no matter how small or insignificant it may seem — to contact the Kinston Police Department,” said a department spokesperson during a brief press conference held outside the Public Safety Building. “We understand the community is hurting. We share that hurt. But we cannot bring Marquez’s family the answers they deserve without the public’s help.”

Investigators have not yet released information on a possible motive. Given the late hour (12:15 a.m.) and the residential location, theories range from a targeted dispute to an attempted robbery or mistaken identity. Police have not indicated whether Lewis was the intended victim. They have also not disclosed whether the firearm used in the shooting has been recovered.

The Lenoir County District Attorney’s Office has been notified of the homicide, and prosecutors are working alongside detectives to prepare for potential charges once a suspect is identified. Because Lewis died at the scene, the case is being investigated as a homicide, and the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy to confirm the exact cause and manner of death.

Community Response: Grief, Vigils, and Calls for Justice

The Kinston community has rallied in the face of tragedy. A prayer vigil is scheduled for Friday evening at 7:00 p.m. at the intersection of Stadiem Drive and Nobles Lane, organized by local churches and community advocacy groups. The event, titled “Peace for Kinston: A Vigil for Marquez Lewis,” aims to bring together residents to mourn, pray, and demand an end to gun violence.

“We are tired,” said Rev. Dr. Angela Hines, a local pastor who will be speaking at the vigil. “Tired of waking up to news that another young Black man has been shot down on our streets. Marquez had a daughter. He had dreams. We need to wrap his family in love, but we also need to wrap this city in accountability. If you know something, say something.”

The Kinston Community Council, a nonprofit focused on violence intervention, has announced a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case. That reward may be increased if additional private donations come in. Meanwhile, a GoFundMe campaign organized by a family friend had raised more than $8,000 within its first 12 hours, with funds earmarked for funeral expenses and a trust fund for Lewis’s daughter.

Local businesses have also shown support. A barbershop on North Queen Street announced it would donate 10% of its weekend proceeds to the Lewis family, and a food truck parked near the crime scene on Thursday afternoon offered free meals to anyone who stopped by to share a memory of Marquez.

Gun Violence in Kinston: A Persistent Challenge

The death of Marquez Lewis adds to a troubling trend in Kinston, a city that has struggled with violent crime rates higher than state and national averages for years. According to data from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Kinston recorded 11 homicides in 2025, most of which involved firearms. The city’s population of roughly 20,000 means its per-capita homicide rate is several times the national average.

Community leaders have long called for more resources for youth intervention programs, job training, and mental health services. However, budget constraints and a shortage of police officers have made comprehensive solutions difficult to implement. The shooting of Lewis has reignited calls for a community-based approach to violence prevention, including the expansion of the Kinston Gang Resistance and Intervention Program (GRIP), which works with at-risk youth.

“We cannot police our way out of this,” said Lenoir County Commissioner Linda Rouse-Sutton in a statement issued Thursday morning. “We need jobs. We need hope. We need to show our young people that there is a future beyond the block. Marquez was trying to build that future for himself and his daughter. We failed him if we don’t act now.”

How to Help: Tips and Support

The Kinston Police Department urges anyone with information about the shooting of Marquez Lewis to come forward immediately. Tips can be submitted in several ways:

· Call the Kinston Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division at (252) 939-3320.
· Submit an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers of Lenoir County at (252) 523-4444 or via the P3 Tips mobile app. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards for information leading to an arrest.
· Call the Kinston Police Department’s non-emergency line at (252) 939-3160.

Police have emphasized that tipsters can remain anonymous and that even the smallest piece of information — a vehicle description, a name overheard, a social media post — could be the key to solving the case.

“We understand that people may be afraid to come forward,” the department spokesperson said. “But we want to assure the community that we have resources to protect witnesses. We cannot let fear keep us from getting justice for Marquez and his family.”

Funeral Arrangements and Final Farewell

Funeral arrangements for Marquez Lewis are being handled by Swinson Funeral Home in Kinston. Visitation is expected to take place on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home’s chapel on East Bright Street. A funeral service will be held Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at St. James AME Church on East Street, followed by interment at Pinelawn Memorial Park.

The family has requested that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the “Marquez Lewis Daughter’s Education Fund,” which can be found through the GoFundMe page or by contacting the Kinston Community Council. They have also asked that attendees at the vigil and funeral wear white as a symbol of peace and remembrance.

A Community’s Hope

As the sun sets on Kinston on the day after the shooting, the scene near Stadiem Drive and Nobles Lane is quiet once again. Yellow tape is gone. The police cruisers have mostly departed. But the pain remains — etched into the faces of neighbors who looked out their windows at 12:15 a.m. and into the hearts of a family planning a funeral for a 28-year-old son and father.

Marquez Lewis deserved to grow old. He deserved to see his daughter take her first steps into kindergarten, to graduate from high school, to maybe even walk her down the aisle someday. Instead, his life was stolen in a split second of violence, leaving behind only questions, memories, and a community determined to remember him not as a statistic but as a man — flawed, human, loved, and now gone.

The investigation continues. The search for answers goes on. And in Kinston, people are holding onto each other a little tighter, hoping that somehow, from this tragedy, something like peace can eventually emerge.