In the early hours of the Fourth of July holiday in Selma, Alabama, a gathering was tragically cut short by gunfire, leaving two men dead and a community in mourning. Demetrius Antwon Collins, a 39-year-old resident of Marion Junction, was one of the individuals who lost his life on July 4, 2026. The shooting occurred at approximately 2:33 a.m. at a gathering on the 1500 block of Mabry Street.
When Selma Police arrived at the scene, they discovered multiple people suffering from gunshot wounds.
Emergency services were dispatched, but tragically, Demetrius Collins and another man, 22-year-old Jerome Baker, succumbed to their injuries. A third victim, 36-year-old Tymantha Underwood, was also shot but fortunately sustained non-life-threatening injuries and received medical treatment. The incident cast a dark shadow over the holiday celebrations and prompted an immediate and intensive investigation by the Selma Police Department. The community was left to grapple with the sudden and violent loss of two of its members.
Following an investigation into the deadly shooting, authorities identified 52-year-old Jerry Thomas as the suspect. Thomas was subsequently taken into custody and has been charged with two counts of murder for the deaths of Demetrius Collins and Jerome Baker, as well as a charge of first-degree assault for the injuries sustained by Tymantha Underwood. As of now, the Selma police have stated that the investigation is ongoing. Due to the nature of the case and to protect the integrity of the investigation, further details have not been released at this time. The case has yet to proceed to trial, and therefore no conviction or sentencing information is available.
