Duplin County residents were frightened after Saturday’s deadly shooting

DUPLIN COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) – Residents of an eastern Carolina county are fearful after a shooting left a woman dead and a man injured Saturday night.

Neighbors in the area said they heard a noise outside but didn’t know what it was.

Latonya Darden, 42, was shot and killed while Russell Hines was injured in the front yard of a home on Shine Road on the outskirts of Faison.

Details about the shooting are not yet known, and the sheriff’s office says there have been no arrests.

Tristen Wood, who lives in the area, worries about what this could mean for her family.

“Oh, I’m terrified,” Wood said. “I don’t live that far from here, so you don’t really hear much in this town. Wow, I have kids and they all go to school here, so it’s kind of scary.”

Residents of the home where the shooting occurred say something simply went wrong, but declined further comment.

The community is concerned for their safety as the person responsible is not in custody.

“Honestly, it makes you a little uneasy about the community and what’s going on,” said Ino Blewitt-Castro, who works nearby. “It’s not really far from here, and considering it’s a small, very close-knit community, it’s strange that they haven’t found anyone and no one is coming forward to report anyone. It just makes you more aware of your situation and what’s going on around you.”

The residents of the house where the shooting took place are shaken. It is said that Latonya was a friend.

The Duplin County Sheriff’s Office has not yet commented.

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