On the evening of January 26, 2024, a burst of gunfire shattered the night on Ellis Avenue near Highway 80 in Jackson, Mississippi, leaving a young man dead and a community searching for answers. Twenty-three-year-old Devaun Johnson, a Black male, was inside a black Lexus at approximately 8:30 p.m. when another vehicle pulled alongside and an occupant opened fire. Johnson was fatally wounded in the attack.
A female passenger in the vehicle with him was also struck by the gunfire and was transported to a local hospital in critical condition.
The Jackson Police Department quickly launched an investigation into the shooting, which was one of twelve homicides to occur in the city in the first month of 2024. Their efforts led them to identify 24-year-old Syhee Phillips as the primary suspect in the fatal shooting. Investigators determined that Phillips was the individual who had driven next to Johnson's car and fired the shots that ended Johnson's life and critically injured his companion. The motive for the shooting has not been publicly released.
Less than a week after the deadly encounter, on February 1, 2024, Syhee Phillips surrendered to the authorities. He was subsequently charged with a string of serious felonies, including murder, aggravated assault, shooting into an occupied vehicle, and drive-by shooting. Additionally, Phillips faced a charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. At the time of his surrender, he also had outstanding warrants for previous alleged offenses, which included three counts of aggravated assault, shooting into an occupied dwelling, and possession of a stolen vehicle. The case against him is now proceeding through the criminal justice system.
