Frederick Eugene Williams, 27, of Wallace, South Carolina, was killed in an early morning shooting on First Street in Laurinburg, North Carolina, around 3:30 a.m. on December 18, 2022. Officers found Williams with gunshot wounds and he was taken to Scotland Memorial Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Laurinburg Police identified 23-year-old Byron Douglas McKenzie of Rockingham as the primary suspect and arrested him later the same day in Hamlet after obtaining warrants. McKenzie was charged with murder and held without bond. Police describe the investigation as ongoing and have asked anyone with information to come forward. The community described Williams as kind and hardworking; details about what led to the shooting remain unclear.

If anyone has information about Williams, his movements that night, or the events on First Street, please contact law enforcement.