Jakailah Kenyetta Jackson, a 27-year-old African American woman, tragically lost her life on October 19, 2020, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Jakailah, who was born on December 3, 1992, was a logistics handler employed by Saddle Creek Logistics Services in Harrisburg, NC. She was a loving mother to her son, Carter, and enjoyed creating hair and makeup video tutorials.
On the fateful day of October 19, 2020, Jakailah Jackson and her partner, Dondrake Blackmoore, were at a gas station on
Kilborne Drive in Charlotte with their young son. Around noon, a vehicle pulled up beside them, and the occupants opened fire. Dondrake, a 26-year-old African American man, was shot in the face and died at the scene. Jakailah was also shot and was transported to the hospital by paramedics, but she eventually succumbed to her injuries. Their son, who was present during the shooting, was not harmed but was left traumatized by witnessing the brutal murder of his parents.
The investigation into the double homicide led to the arrest of two suspects. Xaveon Dunn, a 22-year-old African American man, was the first suspect charged in the case and was arrested in October 2020. Jamaal Porterfield, a 27-year-old African American man, was later charged with Felony Accessory After the Fact to Murder and was arrested on November 6, 2020, during a traffic stop in Bluefield, West Virginia. Porterfield was to be extradited to North Carolina at a later date.
The tragic deaths of Jakailah Jackson and Dondrake Blackmoore left their families and friends grieving. A vigil was held to remember the couple, with candles lit in their memory as a symbol to keep their lives shining bright within the hearts of those who knew them. The community mourned the loss of two young lives taken too soon and rallied around their son, who now faces the challenge of growing up without his parents.
