Family in shock at NC State grad's shooting death; suspect held without bond

Cody McLaggan was a recent graduate of North Carolina State University. With a degree in agricultural business management in hand, he had lined up a job in Virginia and was preparing to move there.

But the 22-year-old's plans were cut short Friday night when he was shot and killed in the parking lot of a Food Lion on Raleigh's Western Boulevard. According to a 911 call, witnesses heard several shots coming from the area near two parked cars in the back of the lot and then saw one speed off.

"It just feels unreal," his sister, Shawn McKibben said. "Cody was definitely a bright light. Everybody who knew him loved him. He was really just humble and really down-to-Earth and very sweet.”

She called him her best friend as well as a brother. He was the baby of the family, with six older sisters.

"He was that person that you could really go to, who you could always talk to about anything else and he'd always be understanding and loving," she said.

McLaggan’s friends started a Go Fund Me campaign to raise money for funeral expenses and have already raised more than $17,000.

Police charged 19-year-old James Anderson with murder. McLaggan‘s family says they did not know him and have no idea if Cody did.

"Me and my family don't know him, and Cody's friends who have been reaching out and speaking to us say that they also didn't know him," McKibben said.

Anderson was being held in the Wake County Detention Center without bond. At a court appearance Monday afternoon, he told a judge he plans to hire a private attorney.

Officers responded to the Food Lion parking lot near NC State's campus around 7:35 p.m. Friday and found a man suffering from gunshot wounds, officials said. They said McLaggan died as a result of his injuries shortly after being transported to a local hospital.

NC State student Jimmy Sides said he and his friends are wary of the shopping center where the shooting happened.

“This isn’t the first time there has been an act of violence here," said Sides. “I have friends who have talked about taking extra precautions because of this.”

Anyone who believes they may be able to provide helpful information is asked to call Raleigh CrimeStoppers at 919-834-HELP (4375).