On the morning of July 7, 2026, 18-year-old JaCarless Rupert was wounded in the 4200 block of Ohio Avenue in Gulfport, Mississippi. He was privately transported to a local hospital around 8:25 a.m., but later died of his injuries. News reports described his death as resulting from gun violence.

The Gulfport Police Department investigated the shooting and arrested 56-year-old Carliss Demetric Rupert, identified as the victim’s father. He was charged with second-degree murder and booked into the Harrison County Adult Detention Center; a judge set bond at $1,000,000. Police asked anyone with information to contact the Gulfport Police Department or Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers.

Family and friends remembered JaCarless as respectful, helpful, and always smiling, and a fundraising page was set up to assist with memorial expenses. Does anyone have information about what happened that morning or knew JaCarless and can share details that might help the investigation?