Shaquan Malique Boston

Shaquan Malique Boston, a 20-year-old Black man known to friends for his outgoing and funny personality, was a former student at New Hanover High School in his hometown of Wilmington, North Carolina. His life was abruptly and violently cut short on a Tuesday morning, just nine days before Christmas.

On December 16, 2014, around 11 a.m., Shaquan was on a porch at a home in the area of Nixon Street and Love Alley. He was approached by 26-year-old Raheem Akbar Shabazz Floyd. The two men spoke, and in a moment of cruel deception, Floyd told Shaquan that the police were right behind him. When Shaquan turned to look, Floyd pulled out a gun and shot him three times. Shaquan was pronounced dead at the scene, his life ending on a quiet residential street in an act of calculated violence. The motive was reportedly connected to a dispute that had occurred two days earlier between Floyd and a friend of Shaquan's.

The Wilmington Police Department launched an immediate homicide investigation. In the wake of the shooting, the community’s response was swift and crucial. Wilmington Police Chief Ralph Evangelous later credited the quick resolution of the case to the immense cooperation and support from people who lived in the area. He personally thanked those who called, texted, and spoke with officers and detectives at the scene, stating, "Because without them, we may not have solved this case." This community assistance led investigators directly to their suspect.

Two days after the murder, on December 18, 2014, Raheem Floyd was located and arrested in the town of Hampstead by the U.S. Marshals Service and Pender County sheriff's deputies. Floyd, who had a significant criminal history including five prior felony convictions for robbery with a dangerous weapon and possession of a weapon of mass destruction, was charged with first-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a felon. He was booked into the New Hanover County jail and initially held without bond. In March 2015, a grand jury formally indicted him on the charges.

The case moved through the justice system for over three years. On January 18, 2018, Raheem Floyd appeared in New Hanover County Superior Court and pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree murder. At the hearing, Shaquan's mother, Teresa Boston, spoke of her profound grief and shared cherished memories of her son. The judge sentenced Floyd to a minimum of 10 years and 4 months and a maximum of 13 years and 5 months in state prison for taking Shaquan's life.

As of October 2025, Raheem Floyd was released from prison on parole. The case is considered closed, having ended with a guilty plea and a prison sentence. The loss of Shaquan Malique Boston remains a painful memory for his family and friends, a life full of potential ended by a senseless act of gun violence just before the holiday season.