On the evening of April 28, 2025, a burst of gunfire shattered the night in the Holly Circle area of Gulfport, Mississippi, leading to the tragic death of 16-year-old Cobi Earnest, an African American male. The incident, which unfolded around 9:15 p.m. near Cherry Court, was described by the local police chief as an act of 'senseless chaos.' When Gulfport police arrived at the scene, they discovered a chaotic situation with three individuals suffering from gunshot wounds.
A fourth victim, Cobi Earnest, had already been privately transported to a local hospital. Despite medical efforts, the teenager succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation into the shooting painted a grim picture of a planned confrontation that spiraled into indiscriminate violence. Authorities determined that two men, 23-year-old Paul Ravin Martin Jr. and 53-year-old Kevin Eugene James, had traveled to the Holly Circle area with the intention of confronting several individuals. It is alleged that both Martin and James brandished firearms and began shooting indiscriminately, striking multiple people before they fled the scene. The motive for the confrontation is believed to have stemmed from a dispute that originated outside of Gulfport, with investigators exploring possible links to neighborhood-based criminal groups.
In the aftermath of the shooting, the Gulfport Police Department quickly identified the two suspects. Paul Ravin Martin Jr. was located and arrested shortly after the incident. At the time of his arrest, Martin was already out on bond for a drive-by shooting that had occurred in November of the previous year. He now faces a string of serious charges, including first-degree murder, shooting into a dwelling, and three counts of aggravated assault. Martin is currently being held without bond at the Harrison County Adult Detention Center.
While one suspect was swiftly taken into custody, the second, Kevin Eugene James, remains at large. A warrant has been issued for his arrest on the same charges as Martin: first-degree murder, shooting into a dwelling, and three counts of aggravated assault. Law enforcement officials have described James as armed and dangerous and have appealed to the public for any information that could lead to his capture.
