James E. Beasley, a 26-year-old African American male from Pensacola, Florida, was tragically killed on August 31, 2019. The incident occurred less than two months after Aaroney Okevious Reed, a 38-year-old male, was released from federal prison. Reed had been serving time for possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. On the night of Beasley's death, he called Pensacola police at 12:17 a.m. to report that someone had attempted to shoot him near downtown Pensacola.
Despite police searching the area, they did not find a suspect, and Beasley assured them he had a safe place to go.
Approximately two hours later, at 2:15 a.m., police received another call from a woman reporting gunshots. When officers returned to the area, they found James E. Beasley deceased in the 800 block of West Gadsden Street, just north of downtown. He had been shot twice, and a Hi-Point 9mm handgun was found about 100 feet away from his body. Reed was arrested on September 3, 2019, on charges unrelated to Beasley's death. Authorities later learned that Reed had violated the conditions of his supervised release shortly after being released from federal prison.
Reed was initially taken into custody on charges related to a standoff with law enforcement at the Morris Court apartment complex, where he initially refused to surrender. After a two-hour standoff, Reed complied with law enforcement's demands and was taken into custody. While already in custody, Reed was additionally charged with manslaughter with a weapon in connection to Beasley's death. An Escambia County jury found Reed guilty, and he was sentenced to life in state prison as a habitual felony offender, with an additional 30 years as a prison releasee reoffender.
The sentencing hearing included evidence presented by Assistant State Attorney Alvin "Trey" Myers, which highlighted Reed's recent release from prison and his prior criminal record. Reed's conviction and sentencing brought some closure to the case, but the tragic loss of James E. Beasley, a young African American man, remains a poignant reminder of the violence that can erupt in communities.
