On the night of March 24, 2023, Natalie S. Bell, a 39-year-old Black female, was fatally shot in Columbus, Georgia. The incident occurred at the Mystic Mart convenience store located in the 600 block of Brown Avenue. Responding to a call at approximately 11:06 p.m., Columbus Police officers discovered Ms. Bell at the scene suffering from a gunshot wound.
The investigation into her death revealed a tragic sequence of events. According to police, a 15-year-old, Jabori Baptiste, was with a group of teenagers outside the convenience store when he attempted to steal a gun from Eugene Bell, Natalie's brother. As Natalie Bell intervened to break up the altercation, the firearm discharged, and she was struck by the bullet. Her mother, Janie Bell, later expressed her belief that her daughter was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, caught in the middle of a robbery attempt.
Through the use of surveillance footage from the gas station, investigators were able to identify Jabori Baptiste as the suspect. On June 5, 2023, members of the Columbus Police Department's Violent Crimes Unit, in collaboration with the Muscogee County School District Police, arrested Baptiste in connection with Natalie Bell's death. He is being charged as an adult and faces charges of murder and armed robbery.
During a subsequent court hearing, an emotional scene unfolded as Baptiste, upon being led out of the courtroom, cried out for his mother who was present in the audience. He is currently being held without bond at the Aaron Cohn Regional Youth Detention Center.
