On the morning of April 1, 2015, Justin Shannon, a 30-year-old male, was with his girlfriend when their vehicle was ambushed on a street in Jackson, Mississippi. The events that led to this violent encounter began the night before at a local club where Shannon had been involved in an altercation with a man named Robert Manuel. The dispute was serious enough that Shannon fled the club to get away.
The following morning, the conflict escalated.
Shannon received a series of angry phone calls from Robert's brother, Lorenzo Manuel. Lorenzo was upset about the previous night's fight and insisted on a 'man to man' meeting. Later, as Shannon and his girlfriend were in their car, a brown four-door vehicle pulled up alongside them. Inside were at least three individuals, including Lorenzo and Robert Manuel. Gunfire erupted from the suspects' car, with numerous shots fired into Shannon's vehicle.
Justin Shannon was struck by multiple bullets and was pronounced dead at the scene. His female companion was also severely wounded but survived the attack. In the aftermath of the shooting, both Lorenzo and Robert Manuel were identified as the shooters. They were subsequently arrested by the Jackson Police Department and each charged with one count of murder and one count of aggravated assault.
Following an investigation and legal proceedings, Lorenzo Manuel was convicted of second-degree murder and aggravated assault for his role in the fatal shooting of Justin Shannon and the wounding of his girlfriend. His conviction was later upheld on appeal.
