Community vigil sheds light on violence
People light candles during a vigil for loved ones lost to violence at Pitt County Courthouse on Dec. 6, 2018. (Molly Mathis/The Daily Reflector)
By Tyler Stocks
The Daily Reflector
Saturday, December 8, 2018
She loved life and loved her family and always had a smile on her face.
She was a bright 27-year-old who worked hard to provide for her three children, ages 9, 7 and 4.
And when she stepped into a room, if you were sad, she would crack a joke to make you laugh and let you know everything is going to be okay.
That’s how Wanda Pope, the mother of Shantelle Pope, described her daughter who was shot and killed last month in a drive-by shooting.
Shantelle Pope was shot shortly before 9 p.m. on Nov. 13 near her home in the area of Tyson Street and Colonial Avenue. She died two days later at Vidant Medical Center. Prior to the shooting, she was talking with some friends when someone pulled up and began shooting.
“My daughter was a sweet and innocent girl,” said Wanda Pope, fighting back tears. “She was honest, respectful, caring and loving. Gone too soon.”
Greenville Police said last month that Shantelle Pope was with two other individuals at the time of the shooting and detectives do not believe she was the intended target.
Pope and three other individuals were remembered on Thursday night during a candlelight vigil ceremony at the Pitt County Courthouse.
Other individuals honored included an aspiring musician named Raekwon Davon Moore, who family members said dedicated to making a name for himself while also getting his family out of Greenville.
Moore, 22, was stabbed during a fight downtown on Oct. 13 and later died from his injuries.
Moore’s brother he was a person who made everybody laugh and a close friend described him as a kind, outgoing person who was always sweet and genuine.
Ralph Boggs, 23, died after being shot and killed in the parking lot of his apartment complex and Seth Nicholas Street, 19, died after being shot multiple times in a Harris Teeter parking lot.
The fact that four people have died since November is something organizers of Citizens United Against Violence hope will give people pause.
“We support the loved ones and the family members of the deceased by remembering the victims during the candlelight vigil,” community organizer Keith Cooper said. “We attempt to increase community awareness of the factors contributing to violent crimes and we promote the development of grass-root initiatives.”
“For the last few years, we have asked each of you to be extra mindful about how we might be influential in preventing further tragedies in our communities,” said CUAV President James Tripp, a retired chief deputy of the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office.
The CUAV meets the first Thursday of every month at The Pitt County Courthouse to honor victims of violence.
To learn more about CUAV, contact James Tripp at 531-2993.
Contact Tyler Stocks at tstocks@reflector.com or 252-329-9566. Follow him on Twitter @TylerstocksGDR
