On a tragic Sunday evening in Mount Vernon, Alabama, Windell Dion Barnes, a 39-year-old man, lost his life in a senseless act of violence. On January 13, 2019, while inside a local bar, Barnes was struck by a stray bullet and later died from his injuries. He was a beloved father, coach, and business owner, known for his love of family and his active involvement in youth football.
The unfortunate incident unfolded as a consequence of a dispute that erupted in the parking lot of a neighboring store. During the altercation, a firearm was discharged. The bullet pierced through the wall of the bar where Barnes was present, hitting him in the head. He was quickly transported to a nearby hospital, but the gravity of his injury proved fatal.
In the wake of the shooting, law enforcement officials launched an investigation that promptly led to the identification and arrest of a suspect. Jonathan Gay, a 19-year-old from the neighboring city of Mobile, was taken into custody. He was subsequently charged with manslaughter, accused of firing the errant shot that tragically ended Windell Barnes's life. The community was left to mourn the loss of a man described as a motivator and a cherished member of his community, an innocent victim in the wrong place at the wrong time.
