Wilmington teen sentenced to 20 years in prison for 2022 murder

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A Wilmington teenager has been sentenced to prison for a 2022 murder.

18-year-old Daquan Curtis Long will serve between 20 and 25 years for shooting 17- year-old Ziyon Cuttino outside of a home on Anderson Street in September of last year.

Cuttino was walking by Long’s residence with a group of young people, including a person with whom Long had been feuding. Long and one of his friends engaged in a verbal altercation with the group before Cuttino walked up to the house and sat on the porch beside the two.

Cuttino and Long’s friend exchanged words before engaging in a fist fight. Long retrieved a shotgun from inside of his house and chased members of Cuttino’s group down the sidewalk before returning to the area where Cuttino and the other male were still fighting. Long then fired one shot at Cuttino, hitting him in the abdomen.

Long left the residence before police arrived. Cuttino was transported to the hospital but died during surgery.

Long turned himself in to authorities later that night.