A jury convicted Rakeem Malik Turner of malicious wounding, using a firearm, and possessing a firearm as a convicted and felon.
The victim, a 30-year-old man, testified that he met defendant in a jail in 2019 when both were inmates. They met again at a mutual acquaintance’s house in 2024. On January 22, 2025, the victim had asked Turner for a ride.
Turner had been pressuring the victim to join Turner’s gang and did so again that day. Turner argued with victim over his refusal, then had his girlfriend pull over the car behind a Food Lion grocery store. Turner got out of the front seat and walked to toward where the victim was sitting. The victim got out, and when Turner kept walking toward him with a gun out, the victim ran. Turner shot the victim twice in the back before the victim escaped into the Food Lion.
Turner was arrested the next day at a house and the weapon used to shoot the victim was in the house. Casings from the shooting scene matched the gun found in the house with Turner.
Judge Bryant Sugg will sentence Turner on January 30, 2026. Turner is facing up to 20 years in prison for the malicious wounding and 8 years of mandatory incarceration on the firearms charges.