On August 16, 2024, at about 3:00 p.m., Wilmington Police responded to an emergency call at Aspire 349, a student housing complex on the 4200 block of Academy Cove in Wilmington, North Carolina. Officers found 23-year-old Otis Taylor dead at the scene from gunshot wounds. A second person was critically injured and taken to Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center.

Investigators determined the shooting was connected to a robbery involving people who knew one another. Authorities identified 21-year-old Craig Lynch as the primary suspect; evidence indicated he fled toward New York. On August 17, 2024, Lynch was arrested by the Buffalo Police Department in Buffalo, New York, and charged with first-degree murder in connection with Taylor’s death. He is awaiting extradition to Wilmington and the investigation remains ongoing.

The Wilmington Police Department has offered condolences to Taylor’s friends and family, and the community has raised concerns about safety in student housing. If anyone has additional information that could assist the investigation, please come forward.