Kedar H. Darden, 24, of Rocky Mount, was killed by gunfire early Sunday morning, September 21, 2025, at a house on the 2100 block of Benvenue Road. Officers called to the scene around 6 a.m. found multiple victims; Darden was identified as the person who died and four others—two women and two men—were wounded and taken to area hospitals. By the next day three had been released and one man remained hospitalized in fair condition.

Neighbors described a large house gathering that turned violent after an argument between two men on a back deck escalated into a burst of roughly 30 to 40 shots as about 20 people scrambled for cover. The scene became a sprawling crime scene around the single-story home. An obituary and online memorials confirmed Darden’s name and age and noted he was lost to gun violence in his hometown. Police described the investigation as active and had not announced an arrest; investigators asked anyone with information to contact the Rocky Mount Police Department.