Ashanti Jenkins, a 24-year-old resident of Melbourne, Florida, was tragically shot and killed on November 25, 2018, in Palm Bay. The incident occurred in the early hours of the morning, around 1 a.m., in the 700 block of Alfonso Avenue SE. Palm Bay police officers responded to reports of gunshots and found Jenkins lying in the street with multiple gunshot wounds. Despite immediate efforts to investigate, Jenkins was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation revealed that Jenkins had visited a home in the area shortly before his death, and he was found near the intersection of Armstrong Road and Hutchins Avenue, close to Liberty Park.
The Palm Bay Police Department launched an extensive investigation into Jenkins' death. Detectives and crime scene technicians conducted interviews with residents and collected evidence from the scene. They also requested surveillance footage from nearby security cameras to piece together the events leading up to the shooting. Despite these efforts, no arrests have been made in connection with Jenkins' murder. The case remains unsolved, and the police have urged anyone with information to come forward.
Jenkins' death was part of a troubling trend of violence in Palm Bay during that period. His murder was the sixth homicide in the city within three months, contributing to a total of 34 homicides in Brevard County that year. The surge in violent crime prompted concerns among residents and law enforcement officials. Palm Bay Police Lt. Steve Bland noted that the city typically averages fewer than four homicides per year, making the spike in killings particularly alarming. Some of the other cases during that time involved drugs and other motives, but no clear connection was established between Jenkins' murder and the other incidents.
In addition to the ongoing investigation, Jenkins had a pending court case related to a possession of cocaine charge at the time of his death. This detail added another layer of complexity to the case, as detectives explored all possible leads and motives. Despite the challenges, the Palm Bay Police Department remains committed to solving Jenkins' murder and bringing justice to his family. The community continues to hope for a breakthrough in the case, and the police have reiterated their call for anyone with information to contact them or the anonymous tip hotline, CRIMELINE.
