NEW HANOVER COUNTY –– An 18-minute recording of the only 911 call made in the early Saturday-morning double homicide at the home of TRU Colors’ chief operating officer reveals new details about the shooting.
Koredreese Robert Tyson, 29, and Bri-yanna Emily Williams, 21, were killed in the incident. At this time, no arrests have been made, and the case is still under investigation.
In the company’s response to the murders, Tyson was confirmed to have ties to the TRU Colors brand. It is not immediately clear what his employment status was with the company. Tyson was also a validated gang member, according to the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office.
A third victim, whose name has been withheld, was transported to the hospital and is currently stable. NHCSO revealed she suffered a gunshot wound to the chest.
In the call, placed before sunrise at 5:42 a.m., the 21-year-old female caller tells the operator she believes there were four people in the home, including the owner, the brewery’s COO George Taylor III, who she said was downstairs. Taylor did not sustain injuries, according to NHCSO.
There are no records of anyone else calling 911 from New Hanover County 911 Communications.
The caller shared that she and her friend, Korry, were shot in the upstairs bedroom while they were sleeping. She also noted she could not see the assailant, since it was dark, but that she was shot in her arm and shoulder. The 911 operator instructed the woman to grab a clean, dry cloth or towel, and press it to the wound: “Don’t lift it up to look, OK?”
The operator assured her EMS was in the area about nine minutes into the call, but were waiting on police to arrive and clear the scene before moving in to provide aid.
About 13 minutes into the call, officers are heard arriving at the home on Providence Road in the Middle Sound area. There is an inaudible commotion as the officers enter, repeatedly announcing “sheriff’s office.” The caller attempts to announce she’s located upstairs, and tells the 911 operator she doesn’t think they can hear her. Intense distant yelling ensues, the call gets redacted for a few seconds, cuts in, then out again, then the caller identifies Taylor as the individual communicating with officers.
In the last couple minutes of the call, the officers repeatedly yelled at the caller and anyone in the room to come out with their hands up. She responds, “He’s not responsive. He’s not responsive.” The call ends just as the operator tells the caller she can open the door, and officers direct her to come out with her hands up.
The 911 emergency transcript records revealed the back gate and garage door were open when police arrived. One person was detained at the scene, and a K9 unit was called in, according to the records.
A NHCSO spokesperson said the office would detain anyone who was there to find out what happened and he could not speak to whether a silencer was used in the shooting as that is part of the investigation. Multiple news outlets reported neighbors’ reactions to the shooting; those published accounts do not include reports of neighbors hearing gunshots.
The NHCSO spokesperson also said no other incidents have been reported at the home, except for vandalism to a parked car in March.
Taylor’s father is the owner and founder of TRU Colors Brewing, a for-profit Wilmington company that hires active members from rival gangs. It asserts its mission is to end gang violence by creating economic opportunities for active members.
In a statement shared by the founder, Taylor III is quoted as informing the company Tyson had been staying at his home for the past few months while “he tried to find a place that would accept someone with a felony background.” The COO stated while the TRU Colors team knows how often the two fought, he believed Tyson used his influence for good.
Taylor II denied Tyson was an employee of TRU Colors in late 2019 after a 19-year-old was shot in the chest in a home on Red Cross Street owned by the company founder. Tyson was arrested and charged in connection with the shooting. In May 2020, he was sentenced to 18 months probation for possessing a firearm as a felon.
The Taylors’ enterprise operates out of the Century Mills building on Greenfield Street, which the company purchased for $950,000 in October 2019. Earlier this spring, it received an undisclosed investment from Molson Coors, the brand behind Coors Light and Blue Moon, which is slated to help TRU distribute its products.
To date, TRU Colors has not sold any beer. The company recently announced it was postponing its launch of “TruLight,” a 95-calories lager, that was supposed to begin distribution in North Carolina two weeks ago. Taylor told Wilmington Business Journal he was delaying it because the company was no longer satisfied with the final product. The company’s website states its taproom is launching next month.
Molson Coors released a statement Monday stating it stands in solidarity with the brand.
This is a developing story. Read up on Port City Daily’s past coverage of the double homicide:
- Molson Coors stands in solidarity with TRU Colors Brewing after weekend homicide
- Double homicide investigation underway in Middle Sound area
- Sheriff’s office releases names of victims in early morning double homicide
- TRU Colors founder releases statement on double homicide at son’s home
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