By Shavonne Walker

shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — A Salisbury man jailed since the 2013 shooting death of Eric Feamster and the shooting of Tyson Gaymon outside Clancy Hills Apartments was sentenced to more than 22 years in prison after he pleaded guilty Monday.

Kevin Rashee Toomer, 27, was sentenced in Rowan County Superior Court to a minimum of 22 to a maximum of just over 27 years.

Toomer, who only spoke in court to answer Judge Anna Mills Wagoner’s questions, was also sentenced in unrelated cases that occurred prior to the 2013 shooting.

Toomer was convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, discharging a weapon into an occupied property and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill for a July 31, 2011 incident. In that matter, police said a group of people were prepared to fight when Toomer pulled out a gun fired several times into a vehicle.

Toomer received seven to nine years for the weapons offenses, which will be served at the same time as the murder conviction.

He also received a sentence of 17 months to 30 months for another unrelated case for possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver marijuana and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. This sentence will run at the same time as the murder sentence.

Toomer accepted the terms as part of an Alford plea, in which a defendant admits that the prosecution has enough evidence to prove that he is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Salisbury Police said Toomer was the shooter following an altercation outside the apartment complex where Feamster was killed and Gaymon was also shot, but survived.

An off-duty Salisbury Police officer was at the complex and heard the gunshots. Witnesses said Toomer fired shots into the air before striking Feamster and Gaymon. Feamster was shot in the abdomen and Gaymon in the arm and torso.

Toomer was found in Richmond, Va., weeks later and was extradited to Rowan County.

Rowan District Attorney Brandy Cook said Gaymon was uncooperative with prosecutors and police investigators despite being good friends with Eric Feamster. Bullets were recovered, but not a murder weapon, Cook said.

Although Feamster’s family declined to comment in court, Cook read a letter from his sister, Yvette. The letter said she wanted to know why Toomer killed her brother and remarked how holidays and birthdays were hard on the family.

Toomer did not comment. His family, many of whom whispered their displeasure throughout the hearing, declined to comment after court.

“It’s a tragedy for everybody involved. It’s rough for all of them,” said one of Toomer’s attorneys, Mike Adkins, following court.

Contact reporter Shavonne Walker at 704-797-4253.