Wilmington Police shot and killed a man wasn’t connected to a downtown parking garage shooting. Investigators later arrested the actual suspect days later in Wallace.
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Another police shooting in North Carolina is raising eyebrows after officers in Wilmington shot and killed a man that had nothing to do with a parking garage shooting — only for the actual suspect to be arrested later.
According to the Wilmington Police Department, officers were called Sunday, March 8, 2026, to a parking deck in the 100 block of Market Street in downtown Wilmington after reports that a man had been shot.
When officers arrived, they found 26-year-old David Corpus suffering from a gunshot wound. Corpus was rushed to Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center, where he was treated for serious injuries.
But things took a deadly turn when officers moved toward a vehicle that reportedly matched the suspect description.
According to police, the driver of that car was 21-year-old Edilberto Espinoza-Sierra.
Authorities say Espinoza-Sierra refused to comply with officers and attempted to drive away. Police claim he accelerated, struck another vehicle, and drove toward officers who were nearby.
That’s when multiple officers opened fire.
Espinoza-Sierra was shot and killed.
THE ACTUAL SHOOTER WAS SOMEONE ELSE
While police were dealing with the deadly officer-involved shooting, investigators later determined Espinoza-Sierra was not the man responsible for the original shooting inside the parking deck.
Authorities say the person who actually shot Corpus was 22-year-old Rafael Martinez.
Martinez was arrested March 8 in Wallace, North Carolina, the same day of the shooting.
He has been charged with Felony Assault with a Deadly Weapon with Intent to Kill Inflicting Serious Injury.
Police say Martinez is the one who shot Corpus inside the downtown parking garage before fleeing the area.
ICE DETAINER NOW IN PLACE
Court documents show an Order After Receipt of ICE Detainer and Administrative Warrant was filed against Martinez on March 9.
That order requires that Martinez remain in custody until one of the following happens:
• 48 hours pass after the time he would normally be released
• Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) takes custody
• ICE rescinds the detainer
Martinez is currently locked up at the New Hanover County Detention Center under a $300,000 secured bond.
His next court appearance is scheduled for March 26 at 9 a.m.
SBI NOW INVESTIGATING POLICE SHOOTING
Meanwhile, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has stepped in to investigate the shooting involving police that left Espinoza-Sierra dead.
Family Says Espinoza-Sierra Was Not Involved
The family of Edilberto Espinoza-Sierra says he had nothing to do with the shooting that police were initially responding to and that he was unarmed at the time he was killed.
“I don’t want this to be left with injustice because they killed my son,” Espinoza-Sierra’s mother, Elizabeth Sierra, said in comments translated by his sister, according to WECT.
Relatives told the outlet they believe Espinoza-Sierra was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time and panicked when police approached.
“He had no weapons with him,” his sister, Genesis Espinoza-Sierra, told WECT. “He didn’t want to stop for them, and I agree that’s not okay, but that’s not a reason to kill somebody. That’s not a reason to take someone from their family.”
The family also questioned whether officers could have handled the situation differently.
“There could’ve been a lot of prevention,” Genesis said. “He could’ve shot at the tires; they could’ve blocked off the path for him to leave.”
Genesis also said the family was not immediately notified by police about Espinoza-Sierra’s death. According to her, relatives located him themselves by tracking his phone to the parking garage. She told WECT that an officer confirmed the news when they arrived at the scene.
