Jamarj Acoff, a 14-year-old freshman at Selma High School, was shot and killed in the early morning hours of February 15, 2025. The shooting occurred at about 1:55 a.m. in the 1400 block of Weaver Street in Selma; officers who arrived on scene found Jamarj had already died. Born March 2, 2010, to Joe and Danielle Acoff, he was remembered as friendly and caring, and his death deeply affected family, classmates and the community.

The Selma Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division opened a homicide investigation and made a same-day arrest. At about 12:20 p.m. on February 15, a 17-year-old African American male was taken into custody and later charged with murder; he is being held without bond at the Perry County Detention Center awaiting a hearing. Motive has not been established and the investigation is ongoing.

Selma City Schools provided grief counseling for students and staff; Jamarj’s celebration of life took place March 1, 2025, at Ellwood Community Church, with burial at Serenity Memorial Gardens. If anyone has information about what happened that night, please come forward to assist the investigation.