On the late evening of May 21, 2022, An’Jai Whitted, a 21-year-old male, was fatally shot in Pierce County, Washington. The incident occurred while he was inside a black Chevy Camaro with friends outside the Nantucket Apartments. Around 11:55 p.m., deputies were dispatched to reports of a shooting. Whitted was transported by his friends to St. Clare's Hospital for his injuries. He underwent surgery but ultimately succumbed to a gunshot wound to the back.
The Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office later ruled his death a homicide.
When deputies arrived at the hospital, only one of Whitted's friends remained. This individual claimed he was in his apartment when he heard his friends yell that Whitted had been shot. He was reportedly evasive when questioned further and did not initially name the other people who were present. Investigators later identified the other two men in the vehicle as Julian Hart and another individual referred to in charging documents as "B.G.". After the shooting, the Camaro was found parked on Chicago Avenue, near where Hart was living with his mother. Inside the vehicle, detectives discovered blood and a single expended shell casing on the back seat. A bullet hole in the front passenger seat's backrest indicated that Whitted had been shot in the back while sitting there. A Glock and a Tokarev semi-automatic pistol were also recovered from the car.
For two years, the case remained under investigation. Then, in August 2024, a significant development occurred with the arrest of 20-year-old Julian Hart. Hart, who was a friend of Whitted, was taken into custody following a traffic stop. He was subsequently charged with first-degree manslaughter and second-degree manslaughter in connection with Whitted's death. A plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf, and his bail was set at $750,000.
Charging documents revealed that detectives linked the Tokarev pistol found in the Camaro to Hart through photos on his social media. One picture, posted the day after the shooting, showed him with the firearm and a message stating he "never missed". Investigators also found text messages showing Hart did not respond to inquiries from Whitted's sister and girlfriend the night of the shooting. In a separate text exchange with an unidentified person, "B.G." denied killing Whitted and stated he only heard a single shot go off before getting out of the car to call for help.
