Silence from possible witnesses is hampering an investigation into a shooting death which occurred outside a club near Littleton in August.

“What we need is for anybody at that club the night Jeffery Cotton was shot to come forward and tell everything that they know,” Lieutenant Bobby Martin of the Halifax County Sheriff's Office said this morning. “I was not there. I'm trying to find out what happened to this young man. They need closure, not only for his mom, but for his family so at least they can find out why it happened.”

Martin said in some 20 to 30 interviews conducted following the shooting outside Club Dreams, located of Highway 158, no one is willing to say what they saw, either telling investigators they were inside when it happened or outside but didn't see anything. “I've got things I want to do at this point (with the case) but nobody wants to tell me the real deal.”

Martin says if it's a matter of being viewed a snitch, there are laws that protect people. While the sheriff's office could very well arrest people who withhold information, “That takes us off the track of what we're doing. For us to be effective, individuals who saw something or saw somebody with a gun need to talk to me about it. Someone lost a child in cold blood. It could have been an accident. Someone needs to step up and do the right thing.”

What the sheriff's office continues to hear is that Cotton, 21, of Weldon, wasn't bothering anyone at the club. “Basically what happened was Mr. Cotton got outside and was caught when the shots were fired in his back.”

Apparently the shots were fired during an argument between two gangs. “There were some things going on where one didn't like the other,” Martin said. “Someone needs to step up and do the right thing.”

Anyone with information is encouraged to call Crimestoppers at 252-583-4444 or the sheriff's office at 252-583-8201.