Local News

Man shot, crashes SUV and dies at Clayton gas station

A man who had a gunshot wound crashed his SUV into a building and collapsed at a gas station on busy U.S. Highway 70 Thursday afternoon.

Posted Updated

By
Alfred Charles
, WRAL.com managing editor

A man who had a gunshot wound crashed his SUV into a building and collapsed at a gas station on busy U.S. Highway 70 Thursday afternoon.

Darrius Pierre Lassiter, of 311 Peace Haven Place in Apex, had just turned 29 last week.

Authorities were still trying to determine why he was shot at a home on Hobbs Street, near Durham Street in Clayton. Yellow crime scene tape surrounded that home, and several bullet casings littered the street as police searched for clues.

Clayton Police Chief C. Blair Myhand said after being shot Lassiter left the scene in a black GMC Yukon SUV before before losing control of the vehicle and crashing into a building at 3950 U.S. 70 and Powhatan Road.

"The individual that we have here has at least one gunshot wound to the chest," Myhand said. "He walked across the field after getting out of the vehicle, and died at the scene."

On Thursday night, Clayton officials said 18-year-old Jairus Leshon Anderson, of Raleigh, had been charged with homicide in Lassiter's death. A young woman was also taken into custody, and police were looking for a third person.

Jairus Leshon Anderson

The SUV was removed from the scene Thursday night.

Ottie Taylor was in her yard with her dogs when the shooting happened just down the street.

"I heard several gunshots, anywhere between four and six shots," Taylor said. "I wanted to move to a safe place. I know anywhere you go, there's going to be crime, but this is just too close to home, and that house has many problems."

Police spent the day collecting bullet casings from the scene on Hobbs street and taking items from the SUV, which included a large cardboard box.

"Other folks that were involved, we don't know where they are at this point," Myhand said. "So we're trying to put all this together."

"It is scary, and now that they have multiple suspects in question, yes, we have a problem," Taylor said. "I suggest these officers patrol this neighborhood hard tonight."

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