On July 31, 2023, at approximately 2:55 p.m., 26-year-old Jonathan Pettway was fatally shot inside a convenience store at the Sunoco gas station located at 2111 San Jacinto Street in Houston, Texas. An 18-year-old male also sustained a non-fatal gunshot wound during the incident.
According to investigators, a physical altercation erupted inside the store, during which the suspect, identified as 24-year-old Jahdari Hatton, produced a firearm and discharged multiple rounds.
Both Pettway and the 18-year-old male were struck by the gunfire. Emergency responders transported Pettway to Ben Taub General Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. The second victim was treated at the scene and released.
Following the incident, the Houston Police Department obtained arrest warrants for Hatton, charging him with murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He remained at large until August 21, 2023, when he was apprehended without incident by the HPD Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, the HPD Southwest Patrol Division Crime Suppression Team, and members of the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force.
Hatton was subsequently booked into the Harris County Jail, where he awaited trial for the charges related to the fatal shooting of Jonathan Pettway and the injury of the second victim. The case drew significant attention from the local community, highlighting concerns over violence in public spaces.
