Police investigating after 17-year-old shot, killed at graduation party in Garner

Garner police are investigating the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old at a graduation party early Saturday morning.

The Garner Police Department said that Messiah Pitt was shot and killed some time after midnight as a graduation party on Claymore Drive in Garner was ending.

Pitt is the only known injury, according to Capt. Lorie Smith.

Pitt was a basketball player for Wakefield High School, having just completed his junior year. Friday, he played at a basketball team exposure event in Winston-Salem with his team.

According to an official and other coaches who were at the event in Winston-Salem, Wakefield played its scheduled games at 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. Saturday, as well, earning an outpouring of support via social media.

Someone from Wakefield basketball’s Twitter page posted a note of thanks to those who reached out to the team following Pitt’s death.

Smith said when officers stopped a car leaving the party, the two back passengers got out and ran. Police detained the two who remained in the car, and are looking for the others, she said.

No one has been arrested or charged in the shooting.

The department has not yet determined whether this was a random shooting, but Smith said there’s no immediate threat to those in the area.

“It’s a very sad situation,” Smith said. “I would encourage anybody in the public, or anyone who was at the party, if they have information, to please contact us.”

This story was originally published June 19, 2021 at 8:37 AM.