In the summer of 2026, tragedy once again struck a Gulfport, Mississippi family that was already intimately familiar with the pain of gun violence. On the evening of June 29, 19-year-old Nykel Poole was shot and killed, adding another devastating chapter to her family's story. The incident unfolded in the 2000 block of 32nd Avenue, where Gulfport police responded to a report of a shooting at approximately 8:45 p.m.
At the scene, officers discovered a grim tableau: Nykel Poole had succumbed to a single gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at 8:55 p.m. by the Harrison County Coroner. Two other individuals were also found with critical injuries, one of whom was identified as Nykel's twin brother. Both were rushed to a local hospital for urgent medical attention.
The investigation into the shooting moved swiftly, and on the following day, authorities arrested 34-year-old John Gaddis III of Gulfport. He was subsequently charged with one count of first-degree murder for the death of Nykel Poole and two counts of aggravated assault in connection with the injuries sustained by her twin brother and the other female victim. Investigators believe the shooting was not a random act of violence but rather the culmination of an ongoing dispute over drugs between Gaddis and one of the victims. Gaddis was booked into the Harrison County jail with his bond set at a total of $2 million. The community was left to grapple with the sudden and violent loss of a young woman, while her family faced the immense grief of another child lost to a senseless act.
The death of Nykel Poole is a somber reminder of a cycle of violence that has haunted her family for years. In a heartbreaking parallel, her older brother, Nigel Poole, was also a victim of gun violence. In January 2016, at the age of 16, Nigel was shot and killed in a grassy alleyway in Gulfport. The individual responsible for his death, who was 15 at the time, was later convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to a 35-year prison term. This history of loss compounds the tragedy of Nykel's death, leaving a family to navigate the unimaginable pain of losing two children to such violent circumstances. The case against John Gaddis III is currently in the early stages of the legal process. As the investigation continues, the community and the Poole family await further developments, hoping for justice for Nykel and a measure of peace amidst their profound sorrow.
