A quiet morning in Rocky Mount was shattered on July 9, 2026, when 54-year-old Courtney Crocker was found with a gunshot wound in the 700 block of Cokey Road. Emergency responders took Crocker to a nearby medical facility, but Crocker succumbed to the injuries sustained in the shooting.

Investigators identified 61-year-old Herman Dickens as the suspect and arrested him. Dickens was initially charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury; after Crocker’s death the charge was expected to be upgraded. Dickens was booked into the Edgecombe County Detention Center and held without bond. Authorities have not disclosed a motive or detailed what led to the shooting, and detectives continue to process evidence and interview witnesses.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information about the events on Cokey Road that morning is asked to contact the Rocky Mount Police Department.