On December 13, 2022, 19-year-old Jaemond Denard Smith was found critically wounded near 16th Street and 2nd Avenue in Phenix City, Alabama, and was pronounced dead at the scene. The Russell County Coroner’s Office later confirmed his identity and age, and his body was taken to Montgomery for autopsy.

Authorities opened a homicide investigation into the shooting. The location is roughly 500 feet from where a double homicide occurred weeks earlier, a proximity that has alarmed the community as officials worked to piece together what happened. In the initial reports, investigators did not name any suspects or persons of interest, and no arrests had been announced.

Anyone with information about Jaemond Smith or the events on the night of December 13, 2022 is asked to come forward.