In the late hours of a Memorial Day weekend, the lively atmosphere on Main Street in Webb, Mississippi, was shattered by the sound of gunfire. On May 25, 2025, Dontavious Lamar Garner, a 22-year-old male from the nearby town of Tutwiler, was fatally wounded in a shooting that occurred shortly after midnight near the Webb Post Office. The celebratory mood of the evening, amplified by a local high school graduation earlier that day, turned to chaos as Garner was struck multiple times in his
abdomen, arm, and chest.
Emergency services were quick to respond, and Garner was rushed by ambulance to Tallahatchie General Hospital. Medical personnel fought to save his life and arranged for a transfer to a trauma center in Memphis. Tragically, Dontavious Lamar Garner succumbed to his injuries while en route to the advanced care facility. The incident also resulted in injury to a 30-year-old Webb woman who was at the scene. She was transported to a hospital in Ruleville by a private vehicle, where she received treatment for a bullet wound and was subsequently released. Authorities believe she was an innocent bystander caught in the tragic event, with Garner being the intended target.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, the Tallahatchie County Sheriff's Office launched an intensive investigation. A sheriff's deputy had been patrolling the crowded downtown area due to complaints of vehicles racing just moments before the shots were fired. Upon hearing the gunfire, the deputy returned to the scene to find Garner lying in the street. Investigators recovered five 10 mm shell casings from the area, evidence of the violence that had just unfolded. Believing the suspect was among the many people present at the time of the shooting, the sheriff's office appealed to the public for any information that could lead to an arrest.
The call for community assistance proved fruitful, and a few days later, an arrest was made in connection with the slaying. Raymond Rembert Jr., a 22-year-old resident of Tutwiler, was taken into custody. The Tallahatchie County Sheriff announced that Rembert was charged with first-degree murder for the death of Dontavious Lamar Garner. He was also charged with aggravated assault for the injury sustained by the female bystander. The investigation continued as the legal process against the suspect began, leaving a community to mourn the loss of a young man whose life was cut short in a senseless act of violence.
