In the summer of 2022, a violent encounter at a Macon, Georgia convenience store cut short the life of 19-year-old Braxton Cole. The incident, which unfolded on the evening of June 6th, also resulted in the death of another young man and left a bystander wounded. This tragic event took place at the Friends Food Mart on Houston Avenue, a location that had already been marked by gun violence just a month prior.
According to the Bibb County Sheriff's Office, the fatal confrontation began
when Cole approached 21-year-old Roderick Felton in the store's parking lot and followed him inside. An argument ensued between the two men, escalating to the point where Cole drew a firearm and shot at Felton. Felton then produced his own gun and returned fire. In the exchange of gunfire that followed, both Cole and Felton were struck, as was a 23-year-old bystander named DeRoderick Collins.
Both Braxton Cole and Roderick Felton succumbed to their injuries. Felton was pronounced dead shortly after being transported to the hospital, while Cole passed away the following morning. Collins, the innocent bystander, was hospitalized and listed in stable condition. Law enforcement officials described Cole as the aggressor in the incident. Because both individuals involved in the fatal shooting died, the case did not lead to any arrests or a trial. The Friends Food Mart was later declared a 'nuisance' by a Bibb County Superior Court Judge due to the recurring violence at the location.
Those who knew Braxton Cole remembered him as a young man with potential. His pastor, who had known the family for decades, recalled him as someone who was always smiling and was determined to graduate and earn his diploma. He was a son, a brother, a nephew, and a father. Tragically, both Cole and Felton had been involved in a program called 'Street to Success,' which aimed to steer young people away from violence.
