In the early morning hours of October 23, 2021, a homecoming block party near Fort Valley State University turned tragic, ending in a spray of gunfire that left one man dead and seven others wounded. The deceased was identified as 27-year-old Tyler French, a male who was not a student at the university. The shooting occurred on Carver Drive at what was described as a fraternity party, plunging the festive atmosphere into chaos and prompting a campus lockdown.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation took the lead on the case, investigating the circumstances that led to the deadly shooting. In the months that followed, the GBI continued to seek assistance from the public, even releasing a photo of French in June 2022 to encourage anyone with information to come forward. The incident sent shockwaves through the Fort Valley community, with university officials canceling homecoming events and offering counseling services to students affected by the violence.
As of late 2023, the investigation into Tyler French's death remains active and ongoing. No arrests have been publicly announced, and authorities have not released any information regarding a suspect or suspects. The GBI continues to ask for the public's help, urging anyone with details about the shooting to contact their Perry office or the Fort Valley Police Department. The case stands as an unsolved homicide, leaving a community and a family waiting for answers.
