In the late summer of 2018, the community of Greenville, Mississippi, was shaken by the violent death of 30-year-old Rafael Sawyer. On August 28th, police responded to a call of a shooting in the 800 block of Nelson Street around 1:30 in the morning. Upon arrival, they discovered a chaotic scene with three individuals suffering from gunshot wounds.
All three victims were transported to Delta Regional Medical Center for treatment of their injuries.
Tragically, Rafael Sawyer succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. An investigation into his death determined that he had sustained multiple gunshot wounds, and his death was subsequently ruled a homicide. The two other victims of the shooting were reported to be in stable condition and were considered innocent bystanders in the incident that led to Sawyer's death. Investigators believe the shooting stemmed from a prior altercation between Sawyer and the individual who shot him.
The Greenville Police Department launched a thorough investigation into the homicide. Their efforts led to the swift arrest of a suspect. 24-year-old Alex Hardy was taken into custody and charged with one count of murder for the death of Rafael Sawyer. In addition to the murder charge, Hardy also faced two counts of aggravated assault in connection with the injuries sustained by the other two victims. The case against Hardy is proceeding through the justice system, while the community continues to mourn the loss of Rafael Sawyer.
