Police close to making arrest in shooting death of Daryon Walker

Police are close to making an arrest in the shooting of Daryon Walker. He was the young man who’s body was found outside Snipes Academy earlier this month.

WWAYTV3 spoke with residents today who said Walker was shot to death by a woman named Jaqualah Shonsa Banks. But until people come forward, the police can’t charge her with the crime.

Erica Suell lost her 17 year old son Antonio Brown last year; he was shot dead in Creekwood.

Suell said, “I’m just never going to see him again, he never had a chance to have kids, or a wife, he didn’t live that long. They just took his life, seven times, and walked away.”

Today, Suell rests a little easier knowing who shot and killed her son. And it all started with the community.

Suell said, “People in the community started talking, getting on the phone, telling it, that’s how they found out.”

Michael Overton of the Wilmington Police Department commented about the case of Daryon Walker, who died of a single gun shot wound outside Snipes Academy, “We always hear talk, and we have been hearing talk that people in the community might know who committed this crime.”

People in the neighborhood say they know who did it, Jaqualah Shonsa Banks. She’s already in jail, being held on $2 million bond for allegedly holding up a Hardees on Carolina Beach Road, and a shooting incident at Houston Moore Community.

Overton said, “If somebody knows something, and knows the least little bit of information, they need to give us a call, so we can make an arrest, and bring this case to justice.”

The thing is, no one wants to go to the police. They say where they live, “snitching” can get you in trouble.

Lachone Harrison of Wilmington said, “Well me personally, I would be afraid to tell the police, because they don’t know if the person is going to come out and shoot them, if you go snitching, so what’s the point of telling, if you are going to be dead.”

But for mom, Erica Suell, it was “snitching” that helped find those responsible for her son’s death. “I miss him, I feel bad for any mother who lost a child, I don’t care what they did. You don’t go around killing people.”

Police encourage anyone with information on this case to call Wilmington Police Department at 343-3600. You can also text message an anonymous tip. Send a message to CRIMES (274637), text TIP708, then your message.