On August 23, 2021, Jamien Davis, a 21-year-old African American man, was found with fatal gunshot wounds in the East Clark Avenue area of Monticello, Florida. Jefferson County deputies arrived after reports of multiple gunshot victims; 23-year-old Lyndon Dawson was also found fatally shot. The scene was processed by the JCSO, State Attorney’s Office investigators, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, who collected evidence and interviewed witnesses.

A 15-year-old, identified in reports as Christian Venisee, was initially arrested and charged with second-degree murder, tampering with evidence, and shooting into an occupied building. Investigators later say video, lab work and ballistics showed Davis and Dawson shot each other; Venisee reportedly fired into the home without striking anyone, then returned and removed a gun from Davis and hid it. The murder charge against Venisee was dropped; he later pleaded no contest to shooting into a building, tampering with evidence and possession of a firearm by a delinquent, and received a two-year term.

The East Clark Avenue address saw another deadly shooting on August 23, 2022, when 70-year-old Essie May Copeland was shot and later died; that investigation is ongoing. If anyone has information about the 2021 shootings on East Clark Avenue, please come forward.