On Friday, September 24th, 2021, members of the Kinston Police Department obtained a  warrant for arrest for Donte Reynolds, 27, of Kinston for his involvement in the murder and  shooting of Micro Croom and Rashad O’Neil. Reynolds was taken into custody by Kinston Police  Officers with assistance from the NC SBI. Reynolds was placed in the Lenoir County Jail under  no bond.  

On Monday, September 20, 2021, at approximately 5:10 am, Kinston Police Officers responded  to a call of a person who was shot near the intersection of Pollock Street and W. Washington  Avenue, Kinston N.C. Officers arrived on scene and located Rashad O’Neil, 25, and Micro Croom,  59, both of Kinston suffering from gunshot wounds. Emergency Medical Personnel arrived and  transported O’Neil to Vidant Medical Center and Croom was pronounced deceased at the scene.  The preliminary investigation reveals that an unknown suspect(s) shot the victims at the  intersection of Rhodes Ave. and Pollock Street. After the shooting the assailant(s) fled the area. 

The Kinston Police Department places the highest priority on investigating crimes of violence  perpetrated in our city. We will investigate such cases with no compromise for crime, and  continue to seek assistance from the community we proudly serve. If anyone has information  about this incident, please call the Kinston Police Department’s Tips Line at 252-939-4020 or  Lenoir County Crime Stoppers at 252-523-4444. Calls to Crime Stoppers are confidential and  anonymous, and the caller may be eligible for a cash reward for information that leads to an  arrest.