Darrick Hagans, an 18-year-old African American man from Spring Hope, North Carolina, was shot and killed on January 11, 2014, at 370 Barnes Lake Road in Middlesex. A second victim, 19-year-old Kwami Jones, was also shot and taken to WakeMed with critical injuries.

A 29-year-old man, Jerome Bernard Neal, was arrested and charged with murder, attempted murder, and possession of a firearm by a felon. Prosecutors later dismissed the murder and attempted murder charges after concluding Neal acted in self-defense. Investigators reported that Hagans and Jones were armed and attempting to rob Neal and others in the home when the shooting occurred; a ski mask and two firearms found near the house were cited as supporting evidence.

The case centers on the fatal confrontation during an alleged planned robbery and the DA’s decision that the homeowner’s actions were self-defense. Does anyone have additional details about Hagans, Jones, or the events that night?