In the late afternoon of February 20, 2022, the sounds of children playing at Central Park in McComb, Mississippi, were tragically interrupted by gunfire. Six-year-old Oterious Marks, a Black male, was at the park with his brothers and friends, enjoying a Sunday like any other. His mother, Kyoukius Washington, was watching from a nearby picnic table when a vehicle drove by and one or more occupants began shooting into the park.
A high-caliber bullet struck Oterious in the abdomen.
He was rushed to Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center but succumbed to his injuries. The senseless act of violence also left four other people wounded, including Oterious's 12-year-old brother, who was grazed by a bullet. The other victims were 17, 18, and 23 years old, with two of them initially listed in critical condition.
In the wake of the shooting, the community of McComb was left reeling. The incident prompted immediate calls for an end to the city's rising gun violence. In a move to honor the young victim, city officials unanimously voted to rename Central Park to Oterious Rashad Marks Park, a permanent memorial to the life that was cut short.
The investigation into the drive-by shooting led to the swift arrest of four teenage suspects. Bryan Cameron, 18, Yajari Jackson, 19, Bryceon Thompson, 18, and an unnamed 17-year-old were taken into custody. They faced charges of capital murder and four counts of aggravated assault manifesting extreme indifference to human life.
In the ensuing legal process, at least two of the suspects have pleaded guilty to charges related to the death of Oterious Marks. In April 2025, Yajari Jackson, who was identified as the driver of the vehicle, pleaded guilty to accessory to murder, two counts of conspiracy to commit murder, and four counts of aggravated assault. In October 2025, Bryan Cameron pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of second-degree murder, along with attempted murder and conspiracy charges. At the time of his plea, Cameron was already serving a 30-year sentence for a separate shooting. The sentencing for Cameron in the Marks case was delayed, with prosecutors recommending a 30-year sentence to be served after his current one is completed.
