On September 24, 2023, Matthew Swiger, a 25-year-old man, was fatally shot outside Oku Restaurant on First Street North near the Jacksonville Beach Pier in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. The incident occurred after a physical altercation between Swiger and Akiyah D. Price, a 28-year-old woman who was an acquaintance of the victim.
Police responded to the scene around 9:10 p.m. after receiving reports of a person shot. Upon arrival, they found Swiger lying on the sidewalk, bleeding from his head and other parts of his body. Despite efforts to save him, Swiger was pronounced dead at the scene.
Multiple witnesses identified Price as the shooter. They described a fight between Price and Swiger on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant, during which Price, who was wearing a red-hooded sweatshirt, followed Swiger across the street toward Fourth Avenue North. Witnesses then heard several gunshots. After the gunfire, Swiger was seen returning toward Oku, bleeding, before collapsing on the sidewalk. One of the witnesses, who personally knew Price, confirmed seeing her pull out a gun and shoot Swiger multiple times.
Police found six shell casings at the crime scene and later discovered a single spent shell casing outside Price's front door, which matched the caliber of the casings found at the scene. Price was arrested at her home early Monday morning and was charged with murder. She was denied bond during her initial court appearance.
Price had a previous record, having pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery in June and receiving a six-month probation sentence. At the time of the incident, she worked at V’s Pizza, a restaurant located near the site of the shooting.
Akiyah Price pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and was scheduled for a pretrial hearing in November 2023. However, as of November 2024, Price has been convicted and sentenced for the murder of Matthew Swiger.
