In the early morning hours of March 10, 2019, a violent ambush outside a Georgia hotel claimed the life of 30-year-old Jeremy Alexander Brookins, a Black man from Jacksonville, Florida. The incident unfolded around 3:30 a.m. in the parking lot of the Hampton Inn in Waycross, where police responded to reports of people with guns chasing others. Upon their arrival, they discovered Brookins near the hotel's pool area, suffering from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.
Brookins was reportedly part of an entourage for Jacksonville rapper Yungeen Ace, who had performed at a local nightclub earlier that night. The group was allegedly ambushed as they returned to the hotel. Brookins' mother, Veronica Dixon-Brookins, later stated her belief that her son was not the intended target but was tragically caught in the middle of a feud. She described the attackers as using high-powered rifles and said her son died trying to understand what was happening. Another man, 29-year-old Dewayne Lamont Scott, was also found inside the hotel with gunshot wounds but survived.
In the wake of the shooting, three men from Jacksonville were arrested. Mark Isaac Jefferson, 26, was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and marijuana possession. Leroy Girard Whittaker, 18, faced charges of misdemeanor marijuana possession, reckless conduct, and possession of a handgun without a license. A third individual, Devante Starks, 26, was also arrested on gun charges. One report also indicated a Mark Johnson, 26, was charged with party to murder, in addition to gun and drug charges. Despite these arrests on other charges, Waycross police indicated that while they had some leads, they had not yet identified 'hard suspects' directly responsible for the shooting itself.
The investigation into the deadly ambush involved both the Waycross Police Department and the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, due to the number of individuals from Jacksonville connected to the case. Jeremy Brookins was remembered by his family, including his mother and his four daughters, one of whom was born after his death. His loved ones gathered to release balloons on what would have been his 31st birthday, mourning the loss of a man they say was caught in a violent lifestyle that ultimately led to his untimely death.
