On the evening of October 10, 2021, Percy Welch Jr., 46, was in the backyard of a Cherry Avenue residence in west Macon, Georgia, when someone opened fire. Welch suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was transported to Atrium Health Navicent, where he died a few days later from his injuries. Two other men, Tavares Devon Lavender, 37, and Althonio Leon Carlisle, 38, were also shot that night and survived.

The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office opened a homicide investigation and identified 34-year-old De Quin Ja'Nile Hamlin as a person of interest. Investigators, working with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, obtained warrants linking Hamlin to the Cherry Avenue killing and to a separate Augusta homicide, and he was taken into custody in Richmond County to face charges in Bibb County, including homicide for Welch’s death and three counts of aggravated assault for the injured men.

The motive for the shooting has not been reported. Does anyone have information about what led to the Cherry Avenue shooting or knew Percy Welch Jr.?