In the early evening of January 11, 2021, a burst of gunfire shattered the winter quiet on a Harrisburg street, leaving a local man dead and a community searching for answers. The victim was 50-year-old Billy Grier, a man who was standing on a sidewalk outside a convenience store at the corner of North 6th and Woodbine streets when his life was abruptly ended.
The incident unfolded at approximately 6:18 p.m. as a red vehicle was seen driving south on North 6th Street.
Surveillance footage from the nearby store captured the chilling moments as someone from within the car opened fire, striking Grier. He fell to the ground, and despite the quick arrival of police officers who found him unresponsive, his injuries were fatal. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into Grier's death moved swiftly. A significant break in the case came when the mother of a witness contacted the police. The witness identified the shooter as 18-year-old Jhajuan Bernard Russaw of Susquehanna Township. According to the witness, after the shooting, Russaw was driven to his home and was still in possession of the firearm.
Based on the witness testimony and the surveillance evidence, police arrested Russaw and charged him with homicide. It was also discovered that Russaw was prohibited from carrying a firearm due to a prior felony burglary conviction, leading to an additional charge of person not to possess a firearm.
