On January 27, 2019, Akeano Lewis, a 22-year-old resident of Lauderhill, Florida, was tragically shot and killed outside the Hibiscus Nightclub in Sunrise, Florida. The incident occurred in the early hours of the morning as Lewis was leaving the nightclub. According to police reports, Lewis was followed by four men, one of whom was armed with a gun. As Lewis reached the parking lot, he was shot twice in the back.
Despite his attempts to flee, he fell, and the gunman continued to fire, striking him a third time. Lewis was found by a passerby who called 911, and he was subsequently transported to Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, where he was pronounced dead.
The investigation into Lewis's death revealed that the conflict began with an argument inside the nightclub. Surveillance footage captured the four men following Lewis into the parking lot, but the actual shooting occurred out of the camera's range. The suspects were seen leaving the scene in two vehicles: a red Dodge sedan and a silver sedan. A witness identified the gunman as Tahjae Adonnis Jackson, a 24-year-old with ties to Lauderhill and Lauderdale Lakes. Jackson was arrested on February 16, 2019, on charges of premeditated murder. At the time of his arrest, Jackson was hospitalized, though the reasons for his medical treatment were not disclosed by the authorities.
The case against Jackson proceeded with the evidence gathered from the surveillance footage and witness testimonies. The motive behind the shooting was believed to be linked to the argument that took place inside the nightclub. Lewis, who had moved to South Florida from Jamaica five years prior in search of a better life, left behind a three-year-old son. The tragic loss of his life has had a profound impact on his family and the community. The legal proceedings against Jackson were closely followed, as the community sought justice for Lewis's untimely death.
