Man's mockery led to North Little Rock shooting death, suspect says

Afan E. Humphrey
Afan E. Humphrey

A man was shot dead in a roadway days after Christmas in North Little Rock because he called his friend a name, according to an arrest report.

North Little Rock officers arrested Afan Etoria Humphrey, 19, on Thursday on a charge of first-degree murder in the Dec. 29 shooting of Wesley Everett, also 19, according to a report.

About 4:15 a.m. on that day, a 911 caller told police there was a man lying on Old Pike Avenue, according to previous reports. When officers arrived, they found Everett, who had been shot, and transported him to UAMS Medical Center, where he died.

Whether Everett had been shot recently or how long he had been lying in the roadway was not immediately clear.

In an interview with officers Tuesday, Humphrey said he was hanging out at Everett's house on the night of the slaying and that while he was there, another man offered to sell him a .22-caliber pistol, according to the report.

Humphrey said he and Everett took the gun and ran out of the house without paying for it, the report said.

The two walked to Everett's mother's house on Pike Avenue; the report said Everett was angry with his mother and intended to confront her.

While Everett was arguing with his mother and her boyfriend, Humphrey told police, Everett turned to him and said "shoot them."

Humphrey said he refused to shoot Everett's mother, and the two walked away. Humphrey said he then turned back and fired one shot at Everett's mother's residence, though he told police he intended the shot only to scare the woman, according to the report.

After that, Humphrey said, Everett began to make fun of him for not shooting Everett's mother, the report said.

Police said Humphrey told them that he got mad, pulled the gun from his pocket and, standing about a foot away from the other man, shot him in his head.

When Everett fell to the ground, Humphrey said, he ran home, hid the gun and took a shower.

North Little Rock officers began interviewing Humphrey on Jan. 9, according to the arrest report. At 2:14 a.m. on Jan. 10, officers arrested him.

Because Humphrey was convicted of a felony in 2017, he also was charged with possession of a firearm by certain persons, the arrest report said.

Humphrey was indicted on six felony charges after a string of residential burglaries in September 2017, according to court records. He was sentenced to six years in prison with four years suspended and restitution fines of $4,189 for the burglaries, according to court records.

Humphrey was in the Pulaski County jail without bail as of Friday evening.

Metro on 01/12/2019

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