In the early evening of May 18, 2021, the life of 24-year-old Lorenzin Brown, a Black/African American male, was tragically cut short on King Street in Tupelo, Mississippi. Around 6 p.m., the Tupelo Police Department responded to calls of gunfire in the area. Upon their arrival, they discovered Brown's body. The Lee County Coroner later confirmed his identity and determined that he had died from a gunshot wound.
His body was subsequently sent to the state crime lab for an autopsy.
The investigation into the shooting quickly led to the identification and apprehension of multiple suspects. The first to be taken into custody was 43-year-old Kortoris Burks of Tupelo. He was formally charged with first-degree murder, and a municipal judge ordered him to be held without bond. The Tupelo Police Department continued to pursue leads in the case, which resulted in the arrests of two more individuals.
Following Burks' arrest, investigators apprehended 29-year-old Justerrica Pegues of Tupelo and 20-year-old Amari Johnson of Aberdeen. Both Pegues and Johnson were also charged with first-degree murder in connection with Lorenzin Brown's death. The investigation has been ongoing as law enforcement works to piece together the events that led to the fatal shooting.
