Demarco Banks Jr., a 15-year-old Black youth, was a son, a brother, and a friend whose life was cut short by gunfire. Known as Marco to his loved ones, his death left his family with an unbearable grief. "I got the phone call last night, and they told me my brother had been shot," his sister, Jedidah Banks, recalled. His mother, Stephanie Bonner Banks, struggled to accept the reality of his absence, saying, "I feel like he's still in his room."
His father, Marco Banks Sr., joined community leaders in calling for an end to the violence that took his son.
The shooting happened on the night of March 14, 2024, at the Gonzalez Court apartment complex on North 9th Avenue in Pensacola, Florida. Demarco was visiting his girlfriend and had just stepped outside with a friend, Tristan McClain. As they walked, they were approached by two figures dressed in dark clothing and ski masks. The male figure, later identified as 14-year-old Remington Crumbs, asked for their names. Though they changed their path, Crumbs confronted them again moments later. He questioned Demarco about a prior altercation and then fired a single shot, striking him. First responders performed life-saving measures before Demarco was rushed to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Pensacola Police Department investigators quickly identified their suspects. That same night, officers located and arrested Remington Crumbs. He was initially booked at the Department of Juvenile Justice on one count of murder. Police also arrested 19-year-old Rumariya Union, who was charged with accessory after the fact.
The State Attorney’s Office announced that Crumbs would be tried as an adult for second-degree murder with a firearm. During his trial, Crumbs, then 16, claimed that he had acted in self-defense. However, based on the evidence and testimony presented, the jury rejected that claim.
On July 16, 2026, Remington Crumbs was found guilty of second-degree murder with a firearm. As of that month, he was facing a sentence of up to life in state prison. A status date for his sentencing was scheduled for September 16, 2026.
