On the afternoon of July 27, 2016, a violent altercation erupted in a residential neighborhood of Columbia, Missouri, claiming the life of Marquez Davena Reed. The 17-year-old Black male was in the area near the intersection of Allen Street and Lasalle Place, a community managed by the Columbia Housing Authority. Witnesses observed Reed approach a dark-colored sedan that had stopped in the street, where he began to exchange words with the individuals inside.
The situation escalated
rapidly as the verbal dispute turned physical. According to reports provided to investigators, Reed reached into the vehicle and struck the passenger through the open window. In response to the strike, the passenger produced a firearm and discharged it, striking Reed. The teenager attempted to flee the immediate vicinity but collapsed a short distance away due to his injuries. Emergency responders arrived at the scene, but Reed succumbed to the gunshot wounds.
Law enforcement officers from the Columbia Police Department launched an immediate investigation, interviewing witnesses who described the vehicle as a black or dark green car. Within days, authorities identified the occupants of the car. The passenger alleged to be the shooter was identified as Tyrone James Jr., an 18-year-old resident of Columbia. The driver of the vehicle was identified as 18-year-old Jadarius Sanders. Following the shooting, the vehicle fled the scene, and the occupants reportedly took steps to conceal the weapon used in the killing.
As the investigation intensified, police issued a public appeal for information regarding the whereabouts of the suspect. On July 30, 2016, Tyrone James Jr. turned himself in to the Boone County Sheriff's Department. Prosecutors charged him with second-degree murder and armed criminal action, with his bond initially set at $1 million. Jadarius Sanders was also taken into custody and faced charges of hindering prosecution and tampering with physical evidence for his role in driving the vehicle away from the scene and aiding in the disposal of the firearm. Information provided by Sanders indicated that James had confessed to the shooting during their escape and that the gun had been hidden in a backpack before being discarded with the help of a backseat passenger.
