In the early hours of Sunday, April 12, 2026, a single gunshot shattered the late-night quiet in the parking lot of The Jerk Shack on Altama Avenue in Brunswick, Georgia. When the sound faded, 23-year-old Bryan Espinoza of Brunswick was left with a fatal gunshot wound. Brunswick Police Department officers were already at the scene, clearing the parking lot after the restaurant had closed for the night, when they heard the shot at approximately 2:00 a.m.
They discovered Espinoza, who was pronounced deceased at the scene.
An immediate investigation into the shooting led to the swift apprehension of a suspect who was still at the location. Gary Abray, 29, also from Brunswick, was taken into custody in connection with the fatal shooting. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called in to assist the Brunswick Police Department with processing the crime scene. The investigation is still active and ongoing, with authorities encouraging anyone with additional information to come forward.
Following the incident, Gary Abray was booked into the Glynn County Jail. He is facing multiple charges, including murder, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and discharging a gun near a public highway. The community has been left to mourn the loss of Bryan Espinoza, whose family has scheduled a visitation and funeral Mass to honor his memory.
