In the summer of 2024, a burst of gunfire shattered the afternoon calm at a Jackson, Mississippi gas station, leaving a young man's life cut tragically short. Jacobi Austin, a 23-year-old male, was shot and killed on Saturday, July 20, 2024, at the Texaco on Medgar Evers Boulevard. The incident, which occurred shortly after 3:00 p.m., left Austin dead at the scene.
The investigation into Austin's death led the Jackson Police Department to identify a person of interest and search for a gray sedan believed to be connected to the suspect. A warrant was issued for the arrest of Adrian Sutton, who was considered armed and dangerous. In connection with the case, authorities arrested Dakeria Hawkins and charged her with accessory after the fact to murder.
Five months after the fatal shooting, the search for the primary suspect came to an end. On a Thursday in late December, at approximately 5:30 p.m., Jackson police arrested 24-year-old Adrian Sutton in the 3600 block of Liberty Street. Sutton was subsequently charged with murder for his alleged role in Jacobi Austin's death. The shooting and subsequent investigation prompted city leaders to call for the gas station to be declared a public nuisance and led the Jackson Police Department to launch 'Operation Gas Up Guns Down' just days after the incident.
