Kendrick Taylor was apprehended this afternoon by Halifax County Sheriff's Office narcotics agents Cody Dickens and Danny Radford following a traffic stop on Highway 301 at the entrance of Dogwood Park Apartments outside Weldon, Garysburg Police Chief Melvin Garner said at the scene.
Garner said it is believed that Taylor in the early morning hours Friday had intended to shoot the person standing next to 30-year-old Lynn Clanton, the victim in the case, when he allegedly fired at least five shots at a gathering off Kee Street in Garysburg.
It is believed the shooting was prompted by a confrontation between Taylor and the person standing next to Clanton, Garner said.
The vehicle Taylor was driving is prepared to be towed away.
Taylor's arrest occurred after 2 this afternoon as investigators learned Taylor frequently visited the Weldon housing project.
They were also keeping watch for him in the 100 block of Monroe Street in Garysburg, Garner said.
Garner said it was unclear what prompted Dickens and Radford to stop the vehicle. “It was really all the counties working together. It was teamwork.”
Taylor was being booked as of this report on charges of first-degree murder, discharging a weapon in the city limits, assault by pointing a gun, going armed to the terror of the people and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, a charge that reflects the person standing next to Clanton.
The car Taylor was driving was impounded and will be searched for evidence by the State Bureau of Investigation, Garner said.
Taylor had no comment as he sat in Garner's patrol car waiting to be taken for booking.
Meanwhile, Captain James Avens of the Weldon Police Department said Taylor faces a count of assault inflicting serious injury for a matter May 17 that involved the assault of a man and woman at Sixth and Cedar streets by multiple people.
Weldon also arrested Taylor's brother, Tavio, in that assault today. He faces the same charge as his brother and was jailed on $5,000 secured bond. Tavio has an August 6 court date.
