AHOSKIE, N.C. - Four men have now been arrested in connection with a fatal Ahoskie bar shooting in November 2021 that left six people injured and 22-year-old Jairen Lyles dead.
Jamal T. Sloan, 24, was arrested shortly after the November 6, 2021 shooting. He was originally charged with three felonies — inciting a riot, going armed to the terror of the people and possession of a firearm by a felon — and was out on bond before police served him new arrest warrants Thursday.
Thursday, Sloan was charged with first-degree murder, four felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one additional count of felony inciting a riot. Sloan is now being held under no bond for his murder charge, and is under a $500,000 bond for the other charges.
Police also served arrest warrants on 28-year-old Rayshawn Marquis Lee. He's been charged with three felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon and is being held under a $750,000 secured bond.
Lashawn Davon Pittman, 28, and D'Veron Dwight Saunders, 24, were both charged with one count of carrying a weapon into an establishment where alcoholic beverages are served.
“We have been steadily working this case since the night of the shooting and our investigative work to this point has developed enough evidence to bring these charges,” said Ahoskie Police Chief Jimmy Asbell.
The shooting occurred at the Alaysia Bar & Grill, located at the Ahoskie Inn, where Lyles died and five others suffered gunshot wounds. A sixth individual suffered a leg injury while attempting to flee from the hail of gunfire, which began inside the bar, according to Asbell.
Over 100 people were present at the time of the shooting.
“While at the scene trying to investigate the homicide, there were fights breaking out by people in the parking lot while law enforcement officers were trying to contain the scene and render help to those who needed it,” Asbell said in an interview on the Sunday following the shooting. “It was a chaotic crime scene with multiple guns as evidenced by the different types of gun casings found inside and outside of the nightclub.”
The shootings led to the closure of the Alaysia Bar & Grill, and its manager surrendered all operating permits, to include a license to sell alcohol, to North Carolina ALE (Alcohol Law Enforcement).
