A late spring evening at a bustling music festival in Sandersville, Georgia, turned into a scene of chaos and tragedy, leaving two families grieving and a community in shock. On May 29, 2022, 17-year-old William Mykell Lowery, a male from Louisville, was fatally shot while attending a Freaknik-themed event at Larry Mitchell Ball Park. Another man, 30-year-old Christopher “Scooter” Dunn, also lost his life in the incident. The sudden eruption of gunfire sent attendees scattering in panic, creating a stampede as people desperately sought cover and a way out of the crowded field.
Witnesses recounted the terrifying moments when the festive atmosphere was shattered by the sound of gunshots. The event, which had drawn a large crowd, reportedly had little security and no one checking for weapons. When law enforcement arrived, they found a chaotic scene with as many as a thousand people present. Amid the turmoil, a deputy discovered one victim who had been shot. It was later learned that a second victim had been driven to the hospital by a civilian. The investigation into the double homicide was launched by the Washington County Sheriff's Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
In the weeks and months that followed, the investigation led to the arrests of two men. In June 2022, Ryan Rozier, 22, of East Dublin, was apprehended and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and violating his probation. The following month, a second suspect, 24-year-old Brian Keith Rozier, also from East Dublin, was arrested by U.S. Marshals. He faced more severe charges, including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, using a gun in a crime, and reckless conduct. It was not immediately clear if the two men were related. The motive for the shooting was not publicly released. The park where the fatal shooting occurred was temporarily closed by a judge following complaints from nearby residents.
