On a Sunday evening in Jackson, Mississippi, 51-year-old Janice Lee Grayer was unintentionally caught in the crossfire of a shootout. On March 6, 2016, while driving through the area of Fontaine Avenue around 5:43 p.m., a dispute between several individuals erupted in gunfire. A stray bullet struck Janice in her upper torso as she was driving.
In a desperate attempt to get help, she fled the scene, trying to reach a nearby hospital. Her journey was cut short when she crashed her white vehicle into a dark-colored car at the intersection of Bailey Avenue and Mayes Street. Emergency services transported her to the University of Mississippi Medical Center, but she was pronounced deceased shortly after her arrival. Authorities confirmed that Janice Grayer was not involved in the altercation.
The investigation into the shooting revealed a chaotic scene on Fontaine Avenue where multiple individuals armed with different weapons had fired several shots. At the scene of the shootout, 21-year-old Samuel Davis was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds, and another unidentified Black male was transported to the hospital in stable condition. A gun believed to have been involved in the incident was recovered from Davis.
Although police detained and questioned individuals believed to have knowledge of the incident, no arrests were made or charges filed in direct connection to the death of Janice Grayer. Her case became part of a particularly violent weekend in Jackson, which saw multiple fatal shootings. The investigation into the death of the innocent bystander remains ongoing.
