AHOSKIE – One local man is dead and two others are hospitalized after an early-morning shooting here Monday in the parking lot of McDonalds, located on Memorial Drive.

Ahoskie Police Chief Troy Fitzhugh identified the deceased victim as 29-year-old Keon Tyvelle Harrell of Ahoskie.

Fitzhugh said that upon arrival of law enforcement officers, one male was found shot and unresponsive in the parking lot of the fast food restaurant. That victim was later identified as Harrell.

The other two victims, whose names were not released, were initially treated in the ER of Vidant Roanoke-Chowan Hospital and later transported to another hospital. Fitzhugh said the medical condition of those two victims is unknown.

The Chief said a call came in to the Hertford County 9-1-1 Communications Center at approximately 2:49 am in reference to the caller stating they “heard a lot of gunshots.”

APD officers and a Hertford County Sheriff’s Deputy responded, finding the one victim in the parking lot and later advised there were two additional victims at the local hospital Emergency Room.

“Investigators and additional staff were called out to the scene,” Fitzhugh stated. “The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation provided a Crime Scene Investigator to assist our department with the crime scene investigation.

Evidence was collected at the scene.”

When asked by this newspaper about that evidence, Fitzhugh declined comment on specifics. He was also asked if the local McDonalds used exterior security cameras, to which he said the APD is following up on that possibility.

“We are following up on the investigation at this time, and we are aggressively working this case,” Fitzhugh said.

He added that the local McDonalds was open at that time of the morning, but only the drive-thru.

“To my knowledge, the doors are locked to the restaurant at that time of the morning, but the drive-thru is open,” he noted.

After the crime scene investigators wrapped up their work at around 8:30 am, McDonalds fully reopened.

When asked about a possible connection between Monday’s shooting and one on Aug. 3 in the parking lot of Murphy’s Express that claimed the life of an on-duty clerk, Fitzhugh said he did not see a link in those two cases.

As for the Labor Day morning shooting, Fitzhugh said anyone with information that will be beneficial to this case is asked to call to the Ahoskie Police Department at (252) 332-5012. APD Detective Sgt. Stephen White is handling the investigation.