Shooting at Fenton: Suspect claims shooting was accidental

The man facing a murder charge after a Friday night shooting at Cary's Fenton social district claims that his gun accidentally discharged. 

Cory Edward McNeill was found shot to death just before 9 p.m. Friday in Fenton's Green parking deck, police said. Shortly thereafter, police say, Malik Emaje Scott-McClarin called them and surrendered.

On Monday, Scott-McClarin's attorney asked that he be released on $50,000 bond.

"Everything that is important to him is in Wake and Johnston County," the attorney said, saying his client is not a flight risk.

The judge disagreed, ordering Scott-McClarin held on $1.5 million secured bond, and subject to electronic monitoring should he be able to pay.

"The defendant shot the victim," the prosecutor said. "He made a statement to police saying it was accidental. That’s the only evidence that it’s accidental."

Scott-McClarin is an employee of Sunstates Security, the private security provider employed by Fenton.

In a statement, Sunstates VP Roberta Scoblick said the company is cooperating with police in the murder investigation. She told WRAL News, "Sunstates Security provides services for Fenton in an unarmed capacity" and "What occurred was not in accordance with work-related activities and appears to be unintentional."

She did not address why Scott-McClarin had a weapon on the property or whether he was on duty for Sunstates at the time of the shooting.

Police Scott-McClarin and McNeill knew each other, and that there was no further threat to anyone else.

Court records show the two men were arrested on the same day (Oct. 22, 2024) and on the same charges in Selma -- possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. 

The shooting in Cary was the second in two days for the town. On Thursday night, a woman was shot on Berry Chase Way. 

On Sunday night, a man was shot in the leg in the 1700 block of Walnut Street, at the corner of Buck Jones Road.