The Murder of Terence Julius Mason

In Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on September 12, 2022, 17-year-old Terence Julius Mason was shot and killed during an attempted robbery in the Piedmont Circle area. Two individuals, Jalen Demarcus Tabb, 18 (15 at the time of the crime), and Kraqshawn Douglas Hall, 19 (16 at the time), were arrested in December 2022 and charged in connection with the murder. On April 28, 2025, both were sentenced after pleading guilty for their roles in the killing.

Surveillance video showed Tabb and Hall, along with other juveniles, gathered at Piedmont Circle, with several individuals carrying firearms. Tabb, who did not have a gun, attempted to take Mason’s firearm. When Mason refused, a struggle ensued, and Mason was shot in the chest. As Mason fled, Tabb and Hall chased him, with Hall firing multiple shots in Mason’s direction. Mason’s body was found the next day, September 13, 2022, in a wooded area near the 1200 block of E. 29th Street, having died from the gunshot wound.

Tabb pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, receiving a sentence of 166 to 212 months (approximately 13 years 10 months to 17 years 8 months) in prison. Hall pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, receiving a sentence of 23 to 41 months (approximately 2 to 3.5 years). Both were tried as adults after their cases were transferred from juvenile to superior court. Lewis Loflin notes that Tabb and Hall are Black males, aligning with the observation that in many local news searches for shootings and robberies, 80-90% of identified perpetrators are Black, a pattern attributed to a criminal subculture.

Perpetrators and the Criminal Subculture

Lewis Loflin views the actions of Tabb and Hall as part of a broader criminal subculture defined by repeated destructive behaviors: violence, petty crime, substance abuse, refusal to get a job, pay bills, stay in school, or act responsibly. The incident involved a group of juveniles drinking, smoking, and dancing while armed with guns, suggesting a lack of responsibility and engagement in risky behaviors. Tabb and Hall’s involvement in a fatal shooting over a firearm further exemplifies the subculture’s violent tendencies. Additionally, their ages (15 and 16 at the time) and the context of the crime imply they were likely not in school or pursuing stable employment, aligning with the subculture’s pattern of disengagement from societal norms.

Lewis Loflin argues that systemic failures in law enforcement, including the refusal to prosecute illegal gun possession, directly contributed to this tragedy. The group of juveniles was openly carrying firearms in a public area, yet there’s no record of prior intervention by law enforcement to address this illegal activity. In North Carolina, it’s illegal for individuals under 21 to carry handguns without a permit, and federal law prohibits those under 18 from possessing handguns. The failure to enforce these laws allowed Tabb, Hall, and their peers to carry guns unchecked, culminating in Mason’s death. Loflin points to broader trends, noting that some jurisdictions fail to prosecute a significant percentage of illegal gun possession cases—posts on X suggest that in some states, up to 65% of such crimes go unprosecuted—enabling armed individuals to remain on the streets and escalate to violent acts like this murder.

Lewis Loflin also highlights the lenient sentencing in this case as another systemic failure. Hall’s sentence of 2 to 3.5 years for a murder-related charge is seen as insufficient to deter future crimes, allowing the subculture to persist. Loflin critiques broader systemic issues, such as minimal enforcement against drug dealing and crimes associated with illegal aliens, which are believed to exacerbate the problem, though these are not directly tied to this case. Lewis Loflin rejects the Left’s framing of these behaviors—such as lack of employment, education, or responsibility—as “white supremacy,” instead attributing them to a criminal subculture enabled by lax law enforcement practices. The disproportionate involvement of Black males in local crime reports is highlighted as evidence of this subculture’s impact, a pattern documented in cases like the Cricket Wireless attack in Phoenix and convictions in Houston County, Georgia.

Mugshots of Jalen Demarcus Tabb (left) and Kraqshawn Douglas Hall (right), convicted in the 2022 murder of Terence Mason.
Jalen Demarcus Tabb (left) and Kraqshawn Douglas Hall (right)

Color of Crime in North Carolina

Lewis Loflin examines racial disparities in North Carolina’s crime statistics, arguing that a criminal subculture drives these trends. According to U.S. Census data for North Carolina (July 1, 2021), the population breakdown is: white alone 68.5%, Black 22.2%, Hispanic 10.1%, Asian 3.3%, American Indian 1.6%, and Pacific Islander 0.1%. Of the Black population, approximately half are male, meaning Black males constitute about 11.1% of the total population.

Despite Black males comprising only 11.1% of the population, they are disproportionately involved in violent crime, accounting for 50% to 60% of arrests in these categories, per the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) 2022 data:

Lewis Loflin notes that these arrest figures are predominantly driven by Black males, meaning a small demographic—11.1% of the population—accounts for a significant portion of violent crime arrests. This is attributed to a criminal subculture involving violence, lack of responsibility, and other destructive behaviors, as exemplified by Tabb and Hall. Loflin observes that white communities in North Carolina face similar economic challenges but show lower crime rates, suggesting cultural factors, not poverty, drive these trends. The Left’s framing of these behaviors as “white supremacy” is rejected, with systemic failures in law enforcement, including the refusal to prosecute illegal gun possession, identified as enabling the subculture to persist.

Share This Article

References

Bristol Blog banner featuring social issues and education critiques by Lewis Loflin.

Updated and new crime reports: