In the small town of Grambling, Louisiana, the life of 21-year-old Jabari Edmonds was cut tragically short in a burst of violence that continues to haunt his loved ones. A young Black man with a close-knit family, Jabari was known for his love of sports, having played both baseball and football throughout his school years. He had attended Grambling State University for two years and was in the process of figuring out his path in life.
His family remembers him as a devoted uncle, brother, and son, whose primary goal was to bring laughter to those he cared about.
On the night of November 21, 2020, the day before he would succumb to his injuries, Jabari was with his cousin when he was shot multiple times. The violent encounter left his cousin with a gunshot wound to the knee. Jabari fought for his life until the following afternoon, November 22, 2020, when he passed away in the hospital, surrounded by the anguish of his family who, due to COVID-19 restrictions, had to wait anxiously in the parking lot for updates.
The years that have followed Jabari's death have been marked by his family's profound and unabating grief. His father continues to pay his phone bill simply to hear his son's voice on the voicemail greeting. His sister, who had been texting with him just before the shooting, is still tormented by the sudden silence that fell between them. The family's pain is compounded by the fact that, to this day, no arrests have been made in connection with Jabari's murder.
The investigation into the death of Jabari Edmonds remains an open and unsolved case. The Grambling Police Department has appealed to the public for any information that might lead to a breakthrough. For the family of Jabari Edmonds, the absence of justice leaves a gaping wound, and they continue to wait for answers, clinging to the memory of a young man whose life was stolen far too soon.
