On July 28, 2018, 38-year-old Jarellia Montgomery was shot and killed in Monroe, North Carolina. The shooting happened around 4 p.m. in the 600 block of First Street. Montgomery was found with a gunshot wound and taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Earlier that afternoon Montgomery had an encounter with a group of men outside a retail business at Fairly Avenue and Morgan Mill Road. The men questioned him about a bandana and suspected gang affiliation; Montgomery, who was not affiliated with any gang, dismissed the accusation and left on his motorcycle. A gold 1999 Buick Regal four-door sedan then pursued him, caught up with him, and the shooting followed.

The Monroe Police Department identified 23-year-old Demaurea Leon Grant and three other African-American males as persons of interest and described the suspects as armed and dangerous. At the time there was insufficient evidence to charge Grant or the others. Montgomery’s family and the community continue to seek justice. If anyone has information, contact the Monroe Police Department or Union County Crime Stoppers.