Jamarion Burns, a 19-year-old male from Jackson, Tennessee, was killed on July 19, 2026, during a mass shooting at Savannah Williamson Park, also known as Neely Station Park, in Denmark, Tennessee. The violence erupted late that Sunday night while a large group of people had gathered at the park. At approximately 10:34 p.m., Madison County emergency dispatchers began receiving multiple 911 calls reporting gunfire at the park on Neely Station Road. Deputies, firefighters and emergency medical personnel rushed to the scene in severe weather and encountered a chaotic situation, with numerous people suffering from gunshot wounds and vehicles leaving the area.
Investigators found evidence of an extensive exchange of gunfire. Authorities recovered multiple firearms along with a large number of shell casings from weapons of different calibers. Early in the investigation, the Madison County sheriff said evidence indicated that shots had come from several locations, including the roadway in front of the park, and that a high-caliber rifle had been fired from a sedan. Approximately 100 people were believed to have been in the area when the shooting occurred. Two people were pronounced dead at the park, while another victim died after being taken to Jackson-Madison County General Hospital. Nine additional people suffered gunshot wounds, bringing the total number of people killed or injured to 12. Burns was later identified as one of the three people who died, along with Jeremiah Forbis and Garrian Greer.
As detectives reconstructed what happened, the investigation focused on two vehicles traveling south on Neely Station Road immediately before the shooting: a white Nissan Altima and a silver Honda Accord. Investigators determined that occupants of the Honda Accord fired multiple rounds into the crowd gathered for a party at Savannah Williamson Park. People in the park then returned fire toward the Accord, creating an exchange of gunfire that authorities said resulted in the deaths of Burns, Forbis and Greer. Sheriff Julian Wiser initially said preliminary information suggested the shooting had a gang-related connection, although authorities did not publicly characterize Burns as being involved in a gang or indicate that he had been one of the people firing weapons.
In the days after his death, Burns' family described a young man whose life had been moving toward a very different future. His sister, Madissen Burns, and his brother, Antonio Burns, remembered him as someone who was close to his family, enjoyed spending time with others and could be relied upon when someone needed help. Antonio recalled playing basketball with his brother and said Burns regularly beat him, leaving him wishing they had been able to play one more game together. Madissen described her brother as a bright person who would be there whenever somebody called and said he stayed away from trouble.
His siblings also said Burns had significant plans for his future. According to his family, he had college opportunities and scholarships and was preparing to move to North Carolina for college. He had talked about wanting his siblings to come with him. Instead, his family was suddenly forced to plan his funeral. Burns' obituary identified him as Jamarion K. Burns of Jackson and confirmed that he died on July 19. His funeral service was scheduled for August 1 at Eastside Church of Christ in Trenton, Tennessee, followed by burial at Oakland Cemetery.
The investigation intensified during the week following the shooting. Detectives interviewed witnesses, examined forensic evidence, reviewed surveillance recordings and obtained multiple search warrants. Savannah Williamson Park had a camera system, giving investigators another source of evidence as they attempted to identify the people and vehicles involved. Local authorities were joined by the Jackson Police Department, the FBI's Jackson office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation during various stages of the investigation.
By July 25, the Madison County Sheriff's Office announced that four people had been arrested following raids conducted at locations in Jackson and Madison County. Authorities initially withheld their identities and charges while preparing for formal court proceedings. Two days later, investigators publicly identified the four suspects as Rodney Parker, 21, and Roshod Parker, 19, both of Medon, Tennessee, along with Ladarius Grimes, 21, and Tomorris Person, 18, both of Jackson.
Investigators identified Ladarius Grimes as the driver of the silver Honda Accord and Roshod Parker and Tomorris Person as passengers in that vehicle. Authorities identified Rodney Parker as the driver of the white Nissan Altima. All four were charged with three counts of felony murder in perpetration of attempted first-degree murder. The felony-murder charges stem from the allegation that the killings occurred during the commission or attempted commission of another serious felony, in this case attempted first-degree murder. The charges do not, by themselves, establish that each defendant personally fired the bullet that killed each victim; prosecutors can pursue felony murder against participants in an underlying felony when a death results from that alleged criminal conduct.
Authorities said the arrests followed an extensive investigation using witness statements, forensic evidence, surveillance footage and evidence collected during multiple searches. The sheriff's office characterized the four men as suspects responsible for the shooting incident, but the criminal allegations remained pending and had not resulted in convictions. Investigators also made clear that the case was not considered closed. They continued pursuing additional leads and said further arrests or additional charges remained possible.
Burns' death therefore became part of a much larger criminal investigation involving an alleged attack on a crowded park followed by return gunfire from people at the gathering. What began as a Sunday-night gathering ended with three families mourning loved ones, nine other people wounded and four defendants facing multiple homicide charges. For Burns' family, the scale of the investigation did not change the personal nature of the loss: he was remembered as a son and brother with college plans, scholarships and what his sister described as a very bright future, all of which ended in the gunfire at Savannah Williamson Park on July 19, 2026.
