On Tuesday, August 15th, 2023, members of the Kinston Police Department located the suspect and suspect vehicle involved in the shooting of Marquetta Norman on August 10th, 2023.  A traffic stop was subsequently conducted, and detectives were able to apprehend Marquez Johnson, 18, of Kinston for his involvement in the crime.  A search of the vehicle resulted in the recovery of a Glock 9mm handgun. 

On the same day, Kinston Police Detectives with assistance from members of the Lenoir County Sheriffs Office SCARR Team conducted two simultaneous search warrants on the 1700 block of Hill Farm Rd, Kinston and the 2100 block of Banks School Rd, Kinston.  The search warrants aided in the recovery of two additional 9mm handguns and a felony amount of marijuana.  

Marquez Johnson was later charged with Attempted 1st Degree Murder and Assault with a Deadly Weapon with the Intent to Kill.  Johnson was placed in the Lenoir County Detention Center under a secure bond.     

This case is still under investigation and our Detectives are currently following up on additional leads. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to 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. Information can also be sent through our KPD Tip App (available via Apple or Android) or by texting keyword, KPDTIP to 847411, add a space, type in your tip information, and hit send.

On Thursday, August 10, 2023, at approximately 8:13 pm, officers from the Kinston Police Department were dispatched to the 700 block of West Road in Kinston in reference to a shooting. The victim, Marquetta Norman, 35-year-old female from Greensboro, was shot in the neck by an unknown suspect. The victim was transported to ECU Health for treatment where she is listed in stable condition. The investigation has revealed an unknown vehicle was traveling eastbound on Lenoir Avenue and an unknown occupant shot toward a group of individuals, the victim in the case is not believed to be the intended target in the shooting. 

This case is still in the preliminary stages of the investigation and our Detectives are currently following up on leads. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to 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. Information can also be sent through our KPD Tip App (available via Apple or Android) or by texting keyword, KPDTIP to 847411, add a space, type in your tip information, and hit send.