Jeffery Reed was a hardworking and respectful 21-year-old man who was passionate about football and fun to be around. His mother, Kimby Reed, said, “My baby was everything to me,” and described him as a “stand-up guy” who would do anything for anyone. His cousin remembered that he always had a smile on his face. The young Black man from Montgomery, Alabama, enjoyed exercising, playing video games, and spending time with friends.
His family’s world was torn apart in early 2022.
On the night of January 8, 2022, Jeffery finished his shift at work and headed to the Bama Lanes bowling alley on Atlanta Highway for a night of leisure. In the early hours of January 9, around 1 a.m., a verbal dispute inside the crowded establishment escalated into a physical fight. Gunshots rang out, and when police arrived, they found Jeffery Reed with a fatal gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The violence injured six other people. Officers who responded to local hospitals found two men with life-threatening gunshot wounds. A woman and three other men were treated for non-life-threatening injuries, which included a bullet graze to the head and wounds to the back, abdomen, and limbs. Authorities later stated that four of these victims were innocent bystanders. An off-duty Montgomery police officer and a private security guard were at the bowling alley and were able to provide immediate assistance in the chaotic aftermath.
In connection with the shooting, police arrested 23-year-old Tory Johnson of Montgomery. He was charged with one count of murder for Jeffery Reed’s death, two counts of first-degree assault, and four counts of second-degree assault for the injuries to the other six victims. The Montgomery County District Attorney’s office alleged that Johnson was the only person armed, had fired at least six times, illegally possessed the firearm, and fled the scene after the shooting.
Johnson was initially released from jail just hours after his arrest after posting bonds totaling $270,000. Following a motion from the District Attorney and public outcry, Montgomery Circuit Judge Tiffany B. McCord increased his bail to $860,000. Johnson was able to post the higher bond and was released a second time, prompting outrage from Jeffery’s family and the community. The case ultimately led the Alabama Supreme Court to raise the maximum bail amount for murder charges in the state.
The case concluded with Tory Johnson’s conviction. Judge Tiffany B. McCord sentenced Johnson, then 27, to 32 years and six months in prison for reckless murder. He also received concurrent sentences of 20 years for two counts of first-degree reckless assault and 10 years for four counts of second-degree reckless assault.
