Fayetteville, North Carolina — On the night of June 7, 2024, 7-year-old Zion Arym Gibbs was inside his family home on Danish Drive, innocently playing video games and enjoying a snack, when a drive-by shooting shattered the quiet of the neighborhood. A stray bullet struck the young boy, who was later transported to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, where he succumbed to his injuries three days later on June 10, 2024.

The shooting involved multiple rounds fired at the residence, with the loud gunfire even shaking nearby doorbell cameras. Zion, described by family and community members as a joyful, kind-hearted child with a bright smile, was a student at Benjamin Martin Elementary School. His death sent shockwaves through the Fayetteville community, prompting calls for justice and highlighting concerns over gun violence affecting children.

Arrests and Charges

In the months following the tragedy, authorities made key arrests. Sierra Adrianna Chambers, then 19, was initially charged as an accessory and later faced first-degree murder and felony conspiracy charges. In December 2024, 20-year-old Antori Kennith Jessigh Porter was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and felony conspiracy. According to police, Porter was the shooter, while Chambers allegedly drove the vehicle involved in the drive-by.

Porter had been held without bond since his arrest. Zion’s family, including his mother Myra Gibbs, actively advocated for accountability. The community honored Zion’s memory through events such as toy drives, birthday celebrations for the child who would have turned 8 in December 2024, and a proclamation of “Zion’s Day” by the City of Fayetteville.

Bond Decision Sparks Outrage

On July 9, 2026—more than two years after the shooting—a Cumberland County judge granted Antori Porter a secured bond of $750,000 during a bond review hearing. Porter had previously been denied bond in 2025. His defense argued he was neither a flight risk nor a threat to the community.

Myra Gibbs expressed profound anger and disappointment in the decision. “I was angry,” she told reporters, adding that she could “barely look at him” in court. She emphasized that the issue was not just the financial aspect of bond but the fact that her son’s accused killer was given any possibility of release.

As of mid-July 2026, reports indicated Porter had not yet posted bond and remained in custody at the Cumberland County Detention Center, where he is also held on a separate $1,000 secured bond for an unrelated assault case.

The case remains ongoing, with both Chambers and Porter facing serious charges. Zion Gibbs’ family and supporters continue to seek full justice for the young life cut short in what authorities described as a targeted or mistaken shooting that had no place in a child’s home.

Sources: ABC11