A gathering of family and friends to mourn a loss turned into the scene of another tragedy on a late winter night in Dacula, Georgia. Jesse Towler, a 35-year-old male, was fatally shot in the chest in the early morning hours of Sunday, March 8, 2020. The incident occurred at a home on Kachina Trail where people had congregated after a funeral that took place on the preceding Saturday.
As the gathering extended into the night, an altercation reportedly began outside the residence. In an attempt to quell the dispute, the homeowner, 32-year-old Joey Von Perry, is said to have discharged a handgun. The single shot fired by Perry struck Towler in the chest. Friends and family who were present found the wounded Towler outside the home.
Emergency services were called to the scene around 1:55 a.m. and first responders administered aid to Towler before he was transported to a local hospital. Despite these efforts, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Following an investigation into the shooting, authorities arrested Joey Von Perry. He was subsequently charged with involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct in connection with Jesse Towler's death. Perry was booked into the Gwinnett County Jail.
