In the early evening of March 18, 2014, a gathering of young people at a park on North Fremont Street in South Bend, Indiana, took a tragic turn, ending the life of 19-year-old Cornell Grant Taylor. The group had come together to film a music video, an occasion that was shattered by an altercation and subsequent gunfire. When police, alerted by ShotSpotter technology, arrived at the scene near the Lasalle Landing Apartments just after 7 p.m., they discovered two young men had been shot.
Both were rushed to Memorial Hospital. While one victim, 20-year-old Brilan Williams, was treated for his wounds and released, Cornell Taylor succumbed to his injuries and passed away at 11:50 p.m., surrounded by his family.
Cornell, born on August 13, 1994, was a resident of South Bend and a student at Rise Up Academy at the time of his death. He was known for his infectious spirit and smile, and was deeply involved in his church, where he played the drums and organ. He had a passion for music and basketball and was dearly loved by his parents, numerous siblings, and a wide circle of family and friends. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, emotions ran high at the scene, with some individuals needing to be removed by law enforcement to preserve the integrity of the investigation.
The St. Joseph County Metro Homicide Unit quickly took over the case and identified a suspect, Shyheem Jones. An investigation revealed that an altercation had broken out during the filming of the music video, which escalated to the fatal shooting. Jones was subsequently arrested and charged with murder. During his jury trial, which took place from March 23 to March 26, 2015, witnesses presented differing accounts of the events that transpired.
Prosecutors presented testimony from inmates who had been incarcerated with Jones. One testified that Jones admitted to shooting Taylor as revenge, believing Taylor had killed someone close to him. Another inmate stated that Jones claimed to have shot Taylor for 'disrespecting the southeast side.' Jones took the stand in his own defense, claiming he acted in self-defense. He testified that Taylor had punched him, and then multiple people began to attack him. Jones said he saw a pistol fall from someone's clothing and heard someone yell to shoot him, at which point he drew his own weapon. Ultimately, the jury found Shyheem Jones guilty of murder. On April 22, 2015, he was sentenced to fifty-five years in prison for the shooting death of Cornell Taylor.
