Wilson courthouse shooting suspect to appear in court

Investigators arrested 21-year-old Abdul Mustafa on accusations that he shot a woman and later exchanged gunfire with two law enforcement officers. Authorities believe the attack may have been retaliation for a June shooting that killed a 16-year-old.

Four people, including a Wilson police officer and a Wilson County sheriff’s deputy, were injured.

Latoya Lucas was shot as she approached the courthouse around 10:30 a.m. Surveillance video showed Mustafa waiting on a bench before approaching Lucas as she neared the courthouse steps.

Lucas remained in critical condition as of Monday afternoon. Authorities said the two officers were stable. Their names were not released.

Mustafa was taken into custody Monday afternoon. Part of downtown Wilson was shut down while investigators processed the scene.

According to the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office, Lucas is the sister of a suspect in the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old weeks earlier on Spruce Street. Investigators said Mustafa waited outside the courthouse while concealing his face from security cameras.

It remains unclear what connection Mustafa has to that case, but Wilson County Sheriff Calvin Woodard said Monday’s shooting appeared to be an act of revenge.

Mustafa was shot once in the arm and treated at a local hospital. His first court appearance is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.

The shooting comes about two months after gunfire outside the Wake County Courthouse injured two attorneys and prompted renewed conversations about courthouse safety.