A near shootout among teens inside a fast food restaurant capped an unusually violent month in Fayetteville. The youth who was the target of a robbery at McDonalds on Raeford Road at Ireland Drive was not charged, although police say he did all of the shooting. The investigation is ongoing. 

It happened just before the dinner hour, when three teens entered the restaurant to sell a pair of cell phones to another youth. They decided to rob him instead. Darius Keyshawn Joyner, 19,  got the drop on the others and began shooting. Two of the would-be robbers were wounded. An elderly woman was knocked to the ground as the trio ran from the store. No one else was hit by gunfire. 

Police spokesman Lt. David McLaurin says two handguns were recovered. District Attorney Billy West appeared at the arraignment of the three young suspects and asked that their bail be increased to $250,000 each. District Court Judge Steven Stokes obliged West agreeing that people should be able to eat a meal in peace. The youngsters jailed in the case are Dustin Lane Tippet, 17, Delon Russell-Dyer, 18 and Jairron Harrington, 18, all of Fayetteville. They’re charged with armed robbery, conspiracy and possession of stolen property. 

Harnett County Sheriff Steps Down

Harnett County Sheriff Larry Rollins chose to resign one day after District Attorney Vernon Stewart indicated he would seek murder charges against one of Rollins’ deputies. 

WTVD11 reported Rollins had actually informed the Board of County Commissioners a month earlier that he was going to step down. That came during the height of a probe into an officer-involved shooting death. Rollins has not commented publically about resigning the post he held for
14 years. 

Stewart said he will seek a second-degree murder indictment against Deputy Sheriff Nicholas Kehagais, according to Lillington attorney Jesse Jones. It’s the first time the deputy has been publically identified since the shooting death last November of John Livingston, 33.  He was shot three times Nov. 15 at his home north of Spring Lake. An autopsy disclosed Livingston’s body had evidence of “cocaine and excessive alcohol consumption.” 

Two deputies responded to the residence before dawn to conduct an assault investigation, the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office said. Court records indicate that Deputy Kehagais contacted Livingston in front of his home while deputy John Werbelow went around back. Kehagais asked Livingston for permission to search the residence for suspects. An affidavit confirmed deputies did not have a search warrant.  Livingston eventually gave his consent. When Kehagais spotted a vehicle behind the home matching the description of one suspected in an assault investigation, he attempted to arrest Livingston, who resisted. The affidavit says Kehagais reported there were witnesses to the struggle that ensued. Kehagais shocked Livingston with his stun gun but it was ineffective. The other officer then pepper-sprayed Livingston, but he kept fighting. Court documents reveal that Kehagais drew his side arm while Livingston fought with him. He fired three times hitting Livingston in the “upper chest and possibly an arm.” EMS personnel pronounced Livingston dead at the scene. Until these disclosures over the past week, the Sheriff’s Office refused to release any information surrounding the confrontation and resulting death.