On the night of November 24, 2020, a tragic event unfolded at the Benson Estates Apartments in Hephzibah, Georgia, that cut short the life of 30-year-old Joshua Hadnot. An African American man from Memphis, Tennessee, Hadnot was found lying on the sidewalk in the 300 block of Williamsburg Drive with a gunshot wound after the Richmond County Sheriff's Office responded to reports of shots fired in the area.
Emergency services were called to the scene, but Hadnot's injury proved to be fatal. He was pronounced dead at 11:05 p.m. by the deputy coroner. The sudden and violent nature of his death sent ripples of concern through the residential community.
The investigation into the shooting quickly pointed towards a suspect. Through witness accounts and evidence gathered at the scene, authorities identified 26-year-old Jeremiah Long of Hephzibah as the individual allegedly responsible for Hadnot's death. Long was subsequently arrested and faced multiple charges, including murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. While an arrest was made, the motive behind the shooting was not immediately made public. Long was taken into custody to await trial for the charges brought against him.
