LAURINBURG — Laurinburg Police are investigating the first fatal shooting of 2020.

On Thursday at around 11:45 p.m., officers responded to an apartment on Kinston Street in reference to a person being shot. Upon arrival, officers found Justin Matthew Brown, 24, of Elizabeth Drive inside with a gunshot wound. He was found to be deceased when officers arrived.

According to a press release from the Laurinburg Police Department, the resident of the home is Leshaun Peterkin, who shares an infant child with Brown. Also inside the residence was a family member of Peterkin and Peterkin’s friend, Johnnie Lee-Prescott Troy. The family member was not identified.

The report states that Brown had begun texting Peterkin Thursday evening that he wanted to see his child and then began communicating threats. Not long after, there was a knock at the door and the family member opened it, and that is when Brown forced open the exterior screen door and entered the residence while displaying a firearm.

He then forced his way past the family member and Peterkin through the residence and down the hallway to a rear bedroom, where he encountered Troy. Brown pointed his firearm in the direction of Troy, who then took his own weapon and fired, fatally striking Brown.

The investigating is ongoing and there was no information if there will be any charges at this time. The Laurinburg Police Department is asking anyone with information to contact the Detective Division at 910-276-3211.

Reach Katelin Gandee at 910-506-3171 or at [email protected]