In the late hours of an autumn night in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the life of Romito James Jones, a 35-year-old man, was tragically cut short. Just after midnight on October 6, 2020, gunfire erupted in the 1000 block of Franklin Street SE, in the parking lot of Miss Tracy's Liquor Store. When Grand Rapids Police responded to the calls, they discovered Jones had been fatally wounded by a gunshot.
The Kent County Medical Examiner's Office would later rule his death a homicide.
Investigators from the Grand Rapids Police Department's Major Case Team began to piece together the events of that night. Their work pointed to a conflict between local gangs. While court records did not identify Jones as a gang member, he was reportedly in a car associated with the Bemis Gang at the time of the shooting. This connection appears to have made him a target for rival gang members.
Two individuals, identified as members of the '7 Gang,' were later arrested and charged in connection with the death of Romito James Jones. Eighteen-year-old Jamarie Bell and 26-year-old Shaquan Washington were both charged with open murder and gang engagement. The fatal shooting was described by police as a gang-related incident, highlighting the ongoing rivalry between the '7 Gang' and the Bemis Gang. The investigation has continued as authorities encourage anyone with further information to come forward.
