Jerry Braggs, a 64-year-old man remembered by a loved one as humble, caring, and outgoing, was shot and killed in the early morning hours of Tuesday, October 6, 2026. Known to at least one person by the nickname "2 Fat Daddy," his life was taken at a bus stop in central Phoenix, a place where he had reportedly been for several hours alongside another man, 56-year-old Charles Hendrix.
The shooting occurred sometime between 4:30 and 5:00 a.m.
near the intersection of 16th and McKinley streets, just south of Interstate 10. Phoenix Police Department officers responded to multiple reports of gunfire in the area. When they arrived, they discovered both Mr. Braggs and Mr. Hendrix with fatal gunshot wounds. Emergency medical personnel from the Phoenix Fire Department pronounced both men dead at the scene.
According to court documents based on surveillance video from the area, the gunman was with both victims at the bus stop. The footage reportedly showed the assailant opening fire on one of the men, causing him to fall. The second man, in an attempt to flee, ran into the street where he tripped and fell. The shooter then approached the man as he lay on the ground and shot him multiple times. Witnesses told police they saw the gunman run from the scene along McKinley Street.
The investigation, led by the Phoenix Police Department, quickly focused on a suspect: Jerry Braggs’ own grandson, 23-year-old Taishawn Terry Bailey. A smoke shop employee reportedly identified Bailey and told investigators they had seen him with a handgun before the shooting. Using GPS data from Bailey’s cell phone, detectives tracked him to a park near 44th Street and Baseline Road, about eight miles away from the crime scene. On Wednesday, October 7, officers found Bailey asleep on a playground and took him into custody.
Police recovered a Taurus 9mm handgun from Bailey at the time of his arrest. Forensic testing later confirmed that cartridge casings found at the bus stop matched the firearm recovered from him. During an interview with investigators, Bailey gave conflicting stories. He initially admitted to being with his grandfather and Hendrix for several hours but claimed he left before the shooting. However, cell phone records placed him in the area when the murders occurred. He then changed his account, claiming he acted in self-defense after one of the men lunged at him with a knife, and that he blacked out after shooting the first victim.
During Bailey’s first court appearance, prosecutors stated that surveillance video did not support his self-defense claim. “Additionally, there are indications that the allegations were caught on surveillance video which does indicate or give some sort of evidence that the suspect claim of self-defense is not accurate,” said state prosecutor Ashley Stetson.
Taishawn Terry Bailey was booked into the Maricopa County jail and charged with two counts of first-degree murder. A judge set his bond at $2 million, cash-only. The case was proceeding through the Maricopa County Superior Court as of October 2026. No further information regarding a trial or verdict has been made public. The motive for the shooting has not been released by authorities.
