A former N.C. State student, identified as a member of the Crips, pleaded guilty Wednesday to a shooting that occurred in Wolf Village July 28. Ryan Alexander Barnes was sentenced to seven to 10 years in prison on a felony assault charge.
Around midnight on the night of the incident, Clarence Grubbs and Carolyn Pittman were sitting outside of the Wolf Village gazebo when three people approached and shot them. The shooting was the second time a person was shot at on campus in 14 months.
Wake County Assistant District Attorney Jimmy Wilson said a member of the “Rollin’ 30s Set” of the Crips, Alex Dorsey, ordered Barnes to shoot Clarence Grubbs because he witnessed a robbery case in which Dorsey was involved, according to a WRAL report. Dorsey was worried Grubbs would testify against him in court, which led to the ordered attack. Grubbs was shot several times in the stomach and torso and Pittman was shot once in the foot. Dorsey, who was already in jail at the time, was sentenced to 20 to 25 years in prison.
Capt. Jon Barnwell of Campus Police who has been involved with the case throughout the investigation said media such as T.V. and movies tend to glamorize gang activity.
“Even educated people want to be a part of the gang life, it’s not just those of lower socioeconomic statuses. Students that are capable of making it into college are recruited into gangs at a young age,” he said.
“It’s a choice that is made by the individual. Just because you are a good student and excelling in life doesn’t mean you make conscious choices.”
Several others had roles in the shooting and also face criminal charges. Leroy Barnes Jr., who has no relation to Ryan Barnes, was charged with assault with intent to kill inflicting serious injury and was sentenced to six to eight years. The other suspect in the case, Terrell Maurice Grimes was ordered to undergo counseling. His case will be under further review. Whitney Blakeney, the girlfriend of Ryan Barnes at the time of the shooting, was given a 45-day suspended sentence and 18 months of supervised probation for obstruction of justice.
