In the quiet town of Brookhaven, Mississippi, the evening of June 12, 2019, was shattered by an act of violence that claimed the life of 7-year-old Quintavious Allen Jr. The young African American boy was inside his home on Grant Road, engrossed in playing video games, when multiple shots were fired from a passing vehicle. A bullet from an assault-style weapon pierced through the house and struck Quintavious.
In the frantic moments that followed, he was rushed by a private vehicle to King's Daughters Medical Center and subsequently airlifted to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. Despite the urgent medical attention, he succumbed to his injuries later that night.
The senseless killing of a child who was about to enter the second grade at Mamie Martin Elementary sent shockwaves of grief and outrage through the Brookhaven community. Brookhaven Police Chief Kenneth Collins, who had personal connections to the neighborhood where the shooting occurred, immediately launched an investigation. However, the path to justice was fraught with challenges as investigators were met with a wall of silence. Chief Collins expressed his frustration over the lack of cooperation from potential witnesses in the area, which significantly hampered the initial stages of the investigation. The police department canvassed the neighborhood, going door-to-door in an effort to gather any information that could lead to the person or persons responsible.
As the family and community mourned the loss of a boy they affectionately called 'Yang Yang,' the investigation pressed on. A breakthrough in the case came when tips from the public finally led authorities to a suspect. John Weathersby was taken into custody by the Copiah County Sheriff's Office in connection with the fatal drive-by shooting. The arrest brought a measure of relief to Quintavious's grieving family, who were preparing to lay him to rest. The funeral service, held at Brookhaven Elementary School, was a somber affair where family and friends gathered to celebrate the short life of a beloved child. Even as they mourned, the family called for an end to gun violence, hoping that such a tragedy would not befall another family.
