Kinston has experienced a surge of violent crime in the past seven months. While most of those were said to be targeted attacks, the shootings early Monday morning were not. Ervin Waters Jr., a resident of Greenville, has been charged with shooting at a 71-year-old’s car on July 25, 2022 at 4:20 am on Monday. He then allegedly shot and killed 28-year-old John Palmer on Airport Road at 4:45 am. At 5:45 the same morning, Waters is said to have shot and killed a 17-year-old.