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Crime

Mother looks for answers after investigators make arrests in murder case

Submitted by Nadine Maeser, Reporter, News Producer
Tuesday, December 18th, 2012, 8:25am
The Community Arts Center in downtown Wilmington has set up this memorial honoring the life of Joshua Proutey.

WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) – A family is now left searching for answers as to why four people decided to take the life of their teenage son.

Patty Proutey is wondering why her son, Joshua, was robbed, shot in the head and left for dead Thursday night in downtown Wilmington.

"He was a very loving, kind, gentle soul, who I don't know ever had an enemy," she said.

Joshua, or as she calls him "Joshie," was your typical college student. He had packed up and moved to Wilmington in August to attend Cape Fear Community College, according to his mother. He was making ends meet with the help of his parents and his new job at the Community Arts Center in downtown Wilmington. Patty said Joshua had plans of becoming an officer in the US Marine Corps after he completed two years of school.

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Performances at Community Arts Center dedicated to shooting victim

Submitted by WECT Web Staff
Sunday, December 16th, 2012, 12:14am
Officers with the Wilmington Police Department are investigating a suspicious death that happened Thursday night.

WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) – This weekend's performances at the Community Arts Center will be dedicated to 19-year-old Joshua Proutey, who was murdered near the theater Thursday night. The theater is also taking donations for his family.

According to police, Proutey was shot Thursday night while heading to his car after working an event at the Community Arts Center on Second and Orange Streets.

Authorities say a patron of the Community Arts Center found Proutey next to a truck around 11 p.m. Officers say Proutey had a gunshot wound to the head. Several calls were made to 911 to report the incident, but none of the callers had any details about what happened.

"It's a lot of blood coming from his head or something and he has his keys in his hand," said one of the callers. "He don't have a pulse or anything."

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CHARGED: Detectives make arrest in pawn shop robbery

Submitted by Debra Worley, Digital Content Director
Thursday, December 13th, 2012, 2:51pm
Detectives with the Wilmington Police Department recently arrested three people in connection to a robbery that happened in September.

WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) – Detectives with the Wilmington Police Department recently arrested three people in connection to a robbery that happened in September.

Three people went to OPM Pawn Shop on Carolina Beach Road in September to pawn a television. When the owner told them he could not buy the television and tried to give it back, one of them grabbed his arm.

According to police, the owner pulled out a handgun, but the people grabbed his arms and also pulled out a gun to pistol whip him in the head. The owner told authorities the three people duct taped his hands, feet and mouth and shoved him in a back room.

The owner told police he could see the trio make several trips in and out of the store, going through his safe and taking a number of items.

Evidence led detectives to arrest Antonio Lequinn Schwartz, 25, Desmond Stephon Hudley, 25, and Virginia Nicole Jones, 27. They were all charged with:

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Convicted felon faces drug, gun charges following traffic stop

Submitted by Sarah Crandall, Web Producer
Wednesday, December 5th, 2012, 7:46pm
Convicted felon faces drug, gun charges following traffic stop

WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) – A convicted felon faces drug and gun charges following a routine traffic stop made around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Authorities with the Wilmington Police Department said in a news release that an officer stopped a truck being driven by 30-year-old Yolanda Inez Feggins for not having a working license plate light in the 3010 block of Princess Place Drive, when a check of her license indicated that she had a history of possessing illegal narcotics.

As a result, the officer asked to search the truck and waited for backup to arrive on scene.

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1 checkpoint, 812 violations during 'Click it or Ticket' campaign

Submitted by Debra Worley, Digital Content Director
Wednesday, December 5th, 2012, 12:21pm
1 checkpoint, 812 violations during 'Click it or Ticket' campaign

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WECT) – Thousands of drivers and passengers were cited in North Carolina around the Thanksgiving holiday for not wearing a seatbelt.

According to State Transportation Secretary Gene Conti, more than 3,700 people were cited during the Click it or Ticket campaign, which was held Nov. 19-25.

“Multiple crashes have been reported in the news recently where motorists who were not wearing their seatbelts have been killed.  It is imperative that everyone in the car buckles up,” said Conti. “I thank all of the law enforcement agencies for their hard work reinforcing this message.”

State and local law enforcement officers issued the citations during more than 4,600 checkpoints and stepped-up patrols statewide.

Only one checkpoint was set up in New Hanover County, but a total of 812 traffic and criminal violations were written. Less than 100 people were given citations for seatbelt violations and about 30 were given DWIs.

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911: 'These guys came in at gun point, robbed us and taped us up'

Submitted by WECT Web Staff
Monday, December 3rd, 2012, 5:09pm
One man is dead after an overnight shooting and home invasion in Wilmington.

WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) – Detectives with the Wilmington Police Department are investigating a fatal home invasion that happened early Monday morning.

Authorities say the woman told police she and her boyfriend were asleep in their home in the 600 block of North Eighth Street. That's when they were awoken to someone breaking into the house through the back door. The victim told the police two men tied them up and ransacked the home.

The woman told police she heard a gunshot and was able to escape across the street and call 911.

"These guys came in here at gun point and robbed us and taped us up and put duct tape over our eyes," the victim told 911 operators.

The victim told 911 that the man she was with had been shot in the front, but was unsure exactly where. Police said Clifton Sykes, Jr., 40, died from a gunshot wound to the chest.

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Several unrelated robberies reported around Wilmington

Submitted by Craig Reck, Reporter
Monday, December 3rd, 2012, 8:54am
Sweeney bonded out of New Hanover County Detention Center. (Source: WPD)

WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) – A number of unrelated burglaries kept Wilmington Police busy Saturday night into early Sunday morning, according to a news release.

Officers responded to the first incident involving a group of children trying to break into cars by pulling on door handles at Forest Hills Apartments. The boys, ages ranging from 13 – 15, were charged then released to their parents just after 8:00. Stolen property was returned to the rightful owners.

About an hour later, two victims reported an armed robbery to police. The two victims told officers that three men in black hoodies robbed them at gunpoint near the 1000 block of South 11th Street. The suspects took the victims' wallets, a cell phone and jewelry. They were last seen climbing into a  black Chevy Trail Blazer with dark tinted, according to the victims.

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