Zakkary Sebastian Johnson, a 24-year-old White male known to his friends and family as Zak, died on February 3, 2023, in Jesup, Georgia. His life was cut short by an act of gun violence. Johnson, who was born on March 30, 1998, in Rochester Hills, Michigan, had spent most of his life in Jesup. He worked in construction, building houses and roofing, and had a creative side, enjoying woodworking and wood-burning.
He was a father, leaving behind a son.
The events that led to Johnson's death unfolded at a shed on Community Circle in Jesup. A man named Lanis Brown, 32, had been on a three-day methamphetamine binge at the location with a few other people. When Johnson arrived, an argument broke out between him and Brown, which escalated into a physical fight. Although the physical altercation ceased, the verbal argument continued. At that point, Brown pulled out a handgun and shot Johnson in the chest, inflicting a fatal wound.
Following the shooting, Lanis Brown fled the scene. The Wayne County Sheriff's Office launched an investigation and, four days after the incident, arrested Brown in connection with the deadly shooting. During questioning by law enforcement, Brown admitted to shooting Johnson but claimed he had acted in self-defense.
Lanis Brown was brought to trial, and on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, a Wayne County jury found him guilty of Voluntary Manslaughter and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony. The jury deliberated for only three hours before reaching their verdict. Following the conviction, a Superior Court Judge sentenced Brown to serve fifteen years in prison, which will be followed by ten years of probation.
