The life of Sha’Nya Coleman-Young, an 18-year-old Black woman, was cut short on the morning of August 25, 2021, in Jackson, Michigan. Around 11:30 a.m., Coleman-Young was in the driver's seat of a Chevrolet Trax in the parking lot of the Keyes Log Cabin Party Store on Fourth Street. According to police, her vehicle, which held five other people, had met with another group in a Nissan Maxima.
An apparent dispute broke out between the two groups.
As the Nissan fled the lot, someone inside fired shots toward the Chevrolet. Coleman-Young was struck by the gunfire and was rushed to Henry Ford Allegiance Health, where she died from her injuries. Two 17-year-old boys who were also in her car were injured in the shooting but were later treated and released from the hospital.
The Jackson Police Department launched an investigation, recovering the Nissan Maxima believed to have been involved. Less than a month later, on September 23, 2021, a suspect, Ke’Juan Watts, surrendered to authorities at the police station. He was wanted on a two-count felony warrant for Homicide-Open Murder and Felony Firearm in connection with the killing of Sha’Nya Coleman-Young.
The case against Ke'Juan Watts proceeded to trial, which ultimately ended in a hung jury. Following the mistrial, Watts entered a guilty plea in April 2026. Two months later, in June 2026, Circuit Judge Susan Jordan sentenced him to serve between three years and 10 months and 15 years in prison.
