RALEIGH, NC – The quiet evening of Thursday, March 27, 2025, was shattered by the sound of gunfire in a Raleigh neighborhood, leaving a community in mourning and a family grappling with an unimaginable loss. At approximately 7:56 p.m., officers from the Raleigh Police Department rushed to the 1800 block of Cantwell Court after receiving urgent calls reporting a shooting. What they discovered upon arrival was a scene that would soon unfold into a tragic homicide investigation: 38-year-old Alana Enoicy, a resident of the area, lying critically wounded from a gunshot. Despite the rapid response of emergency services and her swift transport to a nearby hospital, Enoicy’s injuries proved fatal, and she passed away shortly after, leaving behind a void that has reverberated through the city.
The Raleigh Police Department moved quickly to piece together the events that led to this devastating outcome. Within hours of the shooting, authorities identified and apprehended a suspect: 65-year-old Keith L. Atkinson. Atkinson, a local man now at the center of this unfolding case, has been charged with murder and possession of a stolen firearm. His arrest marks a significant step in the investigation, though it offers little solace to those who knew and loved Enoicy.
Police have remained tight-lipped about the specifics of the incident, including the relationship, if any, between the suspect and the victim, as well as the precise chain of events that culminated in the deadly encounter. What is clear, however, is that a life was cut short in an act of violence that has left investigators working diligently to uncover the full truth.
Cantwell Court, a residential street in Raleigh, is not typically a place associated with such tragedy. Neighbors, still reeling from the incident, described the area as a close-knit community where people look out for one another. The sudden eruption of violence has sparked a mix of shock, fear, and sadness among residents, many of whom gathered near the scene in the hours following the shooting, seeking answers that have yet to emerge. For now, the investigation remains active, with officers combing through evidence and interviewing potential witnesses to build a clearer picture of what transpired that night.
Alana Enoicy’s death has added to the somber tally of homicides in Raleigh this year, a city that, like many others, continues to wrestle with the complexities of gun violence. At 38, she was in the prime of her life, though little has been publicly shared about her background or the circumstances that placed her in harm’s way that evening. Her passing serves as a stark reminder of the human cost behind each crime statistic—a cost borne by families, friends, and communities left to pick up the pieces. Meanwhile, Keith Atkinson’s arrest raises its own set of questions. The charge of possession of a stolen firearm suggests a broader context to the incident, potentially hinting at prior criminal activity or a weapon obtained through illicit means. Yet, without further details from law enforcement, speculation remains just that.
The Raleigh Police Department has issued a call to the public for assistance, urging anyone with information about the shooting to come forward. Even the smallest detail, they say, could prove critical in strengthening the case and ensuring justice for Enoicy. As the investigation presses on, the city waits for clarity, hoping that answers will bring some measure of closure to a wound that, for now, remains painfully open. For those who knew Alana Enoicy, the road ahead is one of grief, reflection, and a longing for peace in the wake of a night that changed everything.