RALEIGH, N.C. – What should have been a night of celebration for Tyrek Burton and his family quickly descended into heartbreak on Saturday evening. Having just wed, Burton’s family was reveling in joy and dancing with loved ones when the unthinkable happened.
Burton, 37, who was raised in Roxboro, North Carolina, and his bride shared a long journey together spanning 16 years, raising four daughters while planning to expand their family. Tragically, just hours after their wedding, Burton was fatally shot as he left the venue, the Barber Park Events Center.
His sister, Brittany, deeply shaken by the turn of events, shared her disbelief. “We were having the time of our lives and it’s like in the blink of an eye, it was all just stolen away from us,” she said.
The incident unfolded when Burton, mistakenly believing his wife was already home, made a U-turn to return for her after realizing she was not. According to Brittany, an ensuing traffic altercation led to a confrontation at the park where the tragedy struck.
Police in Greensboro responded to reports of a shooting just before 9 p.m., identifying Burton as the victim. The gunman remains at large, despite surveillance footage and multiple eyewitness accounts, including one of Burton’s daughters and his new wife, marking the grim scene.
The loss has left the family grappling with shock and sorrow. With his 3-year-old daughter unaware of her father’s passing amid the family’s presence, they brace for the inevitable heartache when she acknowledges his absence.
Brittany reflects on her brother’s unique character, emphasizing the profound impact of his loss. “Words can’t describe the type of man they took. He wasn’t an average guy,” she lamented.
The couple had anticipated celebrating their honeymoon in Charlotte, a dream now unrealized. As the family mourns, funeral arrangements for Burton have yet to be finalized.