Leonard Banks, a 33-year-old man, was killed on April 10, 2026, in Jackson, Mississippi, during a Friday night shooting at a gas station on Cooper Road. The shooting happened shortly before 8 p.m. in the 500 block of Cooper Road, at or near the M&M Store. Banks was described by investigators as a customer at the gas station when the violence unfolded.
When Jackson police arrived, they found Banks on the sidewalk in front of the business suffering from a gunshot wound.
He was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities later confirmed that next of kin had been notified, and the case was counted among Jackson's homicides for the year, bringing the city's total to 20 at that point.
The investigation quickly led police to 17-year-old Siyaski Crawford. Jackson police arrested Crawford in connection with the shooting and charged Crawford with murder in Banks' death. After the arrest, Crawford was being held in custody and awaiting an initial court appearance.
Police did not release a motive in the immediate aftermath of the shooting. Investigators also did not publicly explain what led up to the gunfire or whether Banks and Crawford knew each other before the incident. Detectives said the investigation remained ongoing as they continued working to determine whether any additional suspects were involved and to establish why Banks was shot.
Authorities asked anyone with information about the Cooper Road shooting to contact the Jackson Police Department or Crime Stoppers. As of the available reports, Crawford was the only named suspect publicly identified, and no trial or conviction information had been reported.
