A juvenile was shot to death in downtown Mobile early on the Sunday morning after the Fourth of July, struck by gunfire while riding as a passenger in a car near Government and Bayou streets — and weeks later a 19-year-old man has been arrested and charged in his killing.
According to the Mobile Police Department, officers responded to a local hospital at approximately 2 a.m. on Sunday, July 5, after the young male victim arrived by personal vehicle with a life-threatening gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Investigators determined the shooting occurred near the intersection of Government Street and Bayou Street, where the victim had been riding in a vehicle with several other occupants, including adults, when someone opened fire and struck the car. He was the only person hit. Court records later identified the victim as Keyonte Mingo.
Police: an isolated, targeted attack
The shooting came hours after the city’s Independence Day festivities had concluded and most of the holiday crowd had left downtown. Mobile police had extra officers and safety protocols in place across the holiday weekend, and the city’s curfew for minors was actively in effect, but the gunfire came after the majority of citizens and visitors had already left the downtown celebrations.
“My officers responded immediately and began their investigation. While any act of violence is concerning, it appears this was an isolated, targeted incident,” Police Chief William Jackson said. “My investigators have worked tirelessly through the night, and they continue to work this case, utilizing every resource available to identify the person, or persons, responsible.”
Police public information officer Roderick Miles said detectives were still working to determine why the occupants were downtown and whether the vehicle had been involved in any altercation. The people inside the vehicle cooperated with investigators.
“This was something we were trying to prevent. It did not happen during Fourth of July activities, but we need help from the community, we need help from parents,” Miles said. “We can only do so much from this side of the line, and we employ families to do their part on the other side of the line.”
An arrest two days later
On Tuesday, July 7, investigators identified and located a suspect. Jametrius Jackson, 19, was arrested and transported to the Metro Jail, where he was charged with murder and discharging a gun into an occupied vehicle. A judge later ordered him held without bond.
Court records show Jackson was already facing a separate charge of second-degree receiving stolen property involving a Taurus 9mm pistol at the time of his arrest. He had been denied youthful offender status on that charge on June 25, less than two weeks before the shooting. Following the murder charge, the district attorney filed a motion to revoke bond in the stolen firearm case.
How to help
The case remains subject to prosecution in Mobile County Circuit Court, where Jackson is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Police thanked the community for tips and continued to ask for help.
Anyone with information about the case can contact the Mobile Police Department at 251-208-7211, submit an anonymous tip by texting 844-251-0640, or visit mobilepd.org/crimetip.