Gom Gout, a 23-year-old Black man, was working as a security guard at Moe and Curly's Pub in Omaha, Nebraska, on the morning of May 7, 2023. This was his first shift in this part-time role. A fight broke out among several women in the Capitol District near 10th and Capitol streets, and Gout intervened to break it up.
After he had separated the individuals involved, a woman named Keloni Jones, who was 24 at the time, allegedly pulled a handgun from her purse.
According to the Douglas County Attorney, Gout approached her with his hands up, attempting to de-escalate the situation by saying, "C'mon. Let's just settle down." It was then that Jones shot him in the chest. Following the shooting, Gout was transported to Nebraska Medicine, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Jones fled the scene after the incident. She was later found by Omaha Police walking near 24th and Dodge streets and was arrested. The firearm allegedly used in the shooting was found in her purse at the time of her arrest. Jones was subsequently charged with second-degree murder and use of a firearm to commit a felony. A judge denied her bail.
Ultimately, Keloni Jones, then 25, was sentenced for her role in Gom Gout's death. She was convicted of manslaughter and possession of a deadly weapon to commit a felony. The judge sentenced her to 20 years for each charge, to be served consecutively. Jones will be eligible for parole after serving 16 years.
