In the late spring of 2025, the life of 15-year-old Zacarius Berry was tragically cut short by gun violence in Jackson, Mississippi. On May 23rd, the young man was killed by apparent gunshots, leaving a community to grapple with the sudden and violent loss. Born on July 21, 2009, Zacarius was just a couple of months shy of his sixteenth birthday.
The investigation into the death of the teenager led Jackson police to identify 19-year-old Michael Tate Jr. as a suspect in the homicide.
A warrant for Tate's arrest on a murder charge was issued, and his information was entered into the National Crime Information Center. The search for the suspect came to a peaceful end when, on the evening of June 9, 2025, Michael Tate Jr., accompanied by his father, voluntarily surrendered to authorities at police headquarters.
Following his surrender, Tate was formally arrested on the charge of murder. He was subsequently scheduled for an initial court appearance before a Municipal Court Judge, where a decision on his bond was to be made. The investigation into the death of Zacarius Berry was noted as ongoing by the Jackson Police Department.
