Shot a “one in ten million shots that can happen;” WPD Chief discusses last week’s shooting

Published 6:00 am Saturday, June 3, 2023

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“That’s just one of those one in ten million shots that can happen,” Washington Police Chief Phil Rollinson said about a shooting that occurred on Tuesday, May 23 at the basketball courts on E. Fifth Street. 

One of the bullets from the shooting struck a 67-year-old woman who was walking by Festival Park. Rollinson estimated the bullet traveled a half mile from the courts to the park. The woman was transported to ECU Health Beaufort for treatment for a non-life threatening wound, according to the Washington Police Department. 

The bullet came from a handgun round which Rollinson said could travel that far. “It definitely can, and it did,” he said. For a bullet to go in that trajectory, the handgun would have to be pointed in the air. “There was no way it was going to travel straight that far – not through houses and trees and everything else” he continued.  

When asked if either a bullet or bullet casing was found at Festival Park, Rollinson said the department “recovered a significant amount of evidence.” 

According to Rollinson, there were two groups at the basketball court playing basketball. A disagreement erupted and the groups fought “that resulted in one group pulling guns and shooting at the other.”

Jevon Hagins, 23, of Greenville, was arrested by Washington police officers and charged with ten counts of attempted murder. The ten counts came from the number of people at the basketball court and the woman who was struck. 

Xavier Marsh, 23, of Fayetteville was arrested by Washington officers and was charged with possession of a stolen firearm, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance within 1,000 ft. of a park. 

Rollinson said an active investigation continues on the shooting and to expect more arrests.