Wilmington man pleads to manslaughter in deadly Jungle Rapids shooting

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - A Wilmington man pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in connection with a drug deal that turned into a deadly shooting at Jungle Rapids in 2017.

Paris Dimitri Duncan, 23, also entered guilty pleas to possession of firearm by a felon and conspiracy to sell/deliver marijuana and was sentenced to 84-113 months in prison.

Duncan was accused of fatally shooting Christopher White on October 18, 2017.

Prosecutors said White and Colin McElreath arranged to meet Duncan, Christopher Hallman, and Steven Martinez at the amusement park in order to buy marijuana.

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Duncan and his co-defendants were inside their vehicle in the parking lot of Jungle Rapids when White and McElreath approached to discuss the drug deal.

During the encounter, White retrieved a .22 caliber handgun from McElreath and fired two shots into the trio’s vehicle. Duncan returned fire with a 9mm handgun, striking White once in the neck and once in the arm, before fleeing the scene.

White died while en route to New Hanover Regional Medical Center.

Duncan, who was previously convicted of felony flee to elude arrest and breaking and entering, was on post release supervision at the time of the deadly shooting.

Hallman and Martinez are both charged conspiracy to sell marijuana, while McElreath is charged with felony obstruction of justice and possession of handgun by a minor.

All three have court dates on July 8.

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