On a Friday afternoon, while traveling through Jenkins County, Georgia, 35-year-old Tarina Ferguson, a female from Jacksonville, Florida, was tragically killed. She was a passenger in a vehicle, returning home from Waynesboro in Burke County with her family.
The unfortunate incident occurred when a firearm, being handled by her juvenile son in the backseat of the car, accidentally discharged. The single shot struck Ferguson in the back.
Following the discharge of the weapon, the family continued to drive until they reached the J&T Minit Mart on Highway 25 at Rocky Ford Road, which is approximately three miles south of the Jenkins-Bulloch County line. It was there that an occupant of the vehicle called 911 to seek help.
Emergency services responded to the scene, and Ferguson was transported to the Augusta University Medical Center in Augusta. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, she later succumbed to the gunshot wound and was pronounced dead. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called in to lead the inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have asked for anyone with information to contact their Region 5 Office. At this time, the incident is being treated as an accidental shooting, and no arrests have been made.
