Active duty airman shot, killed in Goldsboro

An active duty airman assigned to the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base (AFB) died early Sunday from gunshot wounds.

Posted 12:00 p.m. Jul 31, 2016 — Updated 10:57 p.m. Aug 1, 2016

GOLDSBORO, N.C. — An active duty airman assigned to the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro died early Sunday from gunshot wounds.

Officers with the Goldsboro Police Department responded to the 100 block of North Center Street around 2:30 a.m. and found 32-year-old Ryan Apollo Morgan suffering from gunshot wounds.

According to investigators, Morgan was shot near his truck in a parking lot near the Rail House Bar & Grill. The events that led up to the shooting are still unknown.

Morgan was transported to Wayne Memorial Hospital, where he died as a result of injuries.

Emily Dupree, who was also at the Rail House Bar & Grill early Sunday, said she is shaken by the shooting.

"It's scary because I come here all the time with my friends and have a good time with my friends and I don't think that something like that will happen," she said.

Four people were murdered in Goldsboro in the month of July, according to police. Officers said they do not think any of the incidents are connected to one another.

April Melrose grew up in Goldsboro and has invested in her own business in the city. She said she is worried the uptick in crime will damage the city's image.

"I think we are all concerned with the rash of violence that has erupted, especially this month with so many murders we are not used to seeing," Melrose said. "I'm afraid for negative response."

According to a technical sergeant at the base, Morgan was from Alabama and had been stationed at Seymour Johnson since 2013. He joined the Air Force in 2009.

Morgan was part of the 4th contracting squadron, which means he managed all of the contracts carried out on base.

"Tragedy can happen at any time whether you are deployed or at home station," said Colonel Christopher Sage, a 4th fighter wing commander. "However, no matter the location or type of incident that occurs, the Seymour Johnson AFB family will stay strong in our support of friends and family suffering through this loss."

According to the police report, Morgan's younger brother was with him when he was shot.

The incident is under a joint investigation by the Goldsboro Police Department and the Air Force Office of Special Investigation. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 919-735-2255.

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