A festive Saturday night during Albany State University's Homecoming weekend turned into a scene of tragedy on October 19, 2024. Amid the celebratory atmosphere near a campus concert, gunfire erupted, cutting short the life of 19-year-old De-Morion Tayshawn Daniels of Newnan, Georgia. Daniels, who was not a student at the university, was fatally wounded in the shooting which occurred around 8:50 p.m. in a crowded area.
The chaos of the incident left five other individuals injured. The victims of the gunfire included a 13-year-old girl, a 16-year-old girl, and a 17-year-old girl, all local high school students who sustained gunshot wounds. A 20-year-old woman was grazed by a bullet, and a 19-year-old woman was injured as she tried to flee the scene. First responders quickly established a triage site on campus to treat the injured before they were transported to a local hospital for further medical attention. In the immediate aftermath, the university was placed on lockdown as law enforcement began their search for those responsible.
The investigation into the shooting was led by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Their efforts led to the arrest of 18-year-old Jeremy Marshall of Albany, Georgia. Initially, in November 2024, Marshall was charged with three counts of Aggravated Assault and three counts of Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Felony.
By December 9, 2024, while already in custody, Jeremy Marshall faced additional and more severe charges in connection with De-Morion Daniels' death. These new warrants included charges for Murder, Aggravated Assault, and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony. Further legal proceedings revealed that the shooting was linked to a criminal street gang. An indictment accused Marshall, who was associated with a gang known as 'the Blockos' or '4BG,' of participating in criminal gang activity through the commission of Malice Murder by shooting and killing De'Morion Daniels. Marshall was also individually charged with Malice Murder for unlawfully causing Daniels' death.
