The steps of the Wilson County Courthouse turned into a shooting Monday morning when a 21-year-old gunman allegedly carried out a cold-blooded ambush on a 19-year-old woman — and it was all allegedly planned in advance.
According to investigators, Abdul Karim Mustafa arrived with two others, changed clothes inside the courthouse, scouted the courtroom for his target, hid a backpack in an alley, and then sat on a bench outside for more than an hour waiting for 19-year-old Latoya Andrea Lucas to walk up the steps.
When she did around 10:40 a.m., Mustafa allegedly opened fire — hitting her multiple times that left her critically injured and fighting for her life in the hospital.
As Wilson police and sheriff’s deputies rushed to the scene, Mustafa allegedly turned his gun on them too — causing a chaotic shootout that left a city officer and a sheriff’s deputy wounded. Both officers are expected to recover. Mustafa fled but was quickly captured just blocks away.
Abdul Karim Mustafa Denied Bond at First Court Appearance in Wilson County Courthouse Shooting
Now, in new developments, authorities have charged two more people with helping make it happen.
On Wednesday, July 15, 28-year-old Terrie Lorenzo Covington and 18-year-old Ja’lexis Arshae Applewhite — both from Wilson — were arrested and charged with felony accessory before the fact.
Court records say they “counseled and commanded” Mustafa to carry out the attempted murder. Investigators believe all three are connected to a hybrid gang and worked together to plan the attack.
The trio allegedly arrived at the courthouse together that morning. Both Covington and Applewhite were denied bond. Applewhite is also facing a separate misdemeanor drug charge.
Mustafa, who made his first court appearance the day after the shooting, remains in custody without bond on charges including attempted first-degree murder, going armed to the terror of the people, and discharging a firearm in city limits.
On Thursday, July 16, 2026, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) filed new charges against Mustafa in connection with Monday morning’s shooting involving law enforcement officers.
Mustafa has been charged with the following:
- Four felony counts of attempted murder
- Two felony counts of shooting into an occupied vehicle
The agency says the charges stem from the SBI’s investigation into Mustafa’s actions against officers on Monday. They come in addition to the charges the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office filed that same day.
Mustafa received no bond on Thursday’s charges and will have a first appearance on Friday, July 17, 2026.
Just three weeks earlier, on June 23, 2026, 16-year-old Ladarrius “D’Baby” Simmons was shot and killed inside a home on Spruce Street in Wilson’s Whitfield Homes neighborhood. He was a student at Wilson Preparatory Academy described by loved ones as sweet and church-going.
Latoya Lucas lived at that same address and was charged with accessory after the fact and obstruction of justice in Simmons’ murder. She is also the sister of Jamel Hines, teen accused of killing Simmons.
Mustafa was reportedly close to Simmons. He posted memorials online calling the slain teen someone who “inspired me to be the best big homie.”
The investigation is still very much active. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is handling the officer-involved shooting.
