Jada Henderson was a competitive and coachable student-athlete who was building a future for herself at Jackson State University. An 18-year-old female originally from Georgia, Jada had a passion for sports and self-improvement. In high school at Lanier High School in Jackson, she was a dedicated basketball player, serving as the starting point guard her junior year and playing on the varsity team for four years. She described herself as an athlete who was always thinking of ways to be a better teammate and person, both on and off the court. At Jackson State, she was a psychology student-athlete and a member of the women's track and field team. Her interests extended to fitness, beauty, and lifestyle, and she was known as a coffee lover and music enthusiast who enjoyed connecting with people through authentic content.
The Halloween weekend of 2026 turned tragic when Jada’s life was cut short in a mass shooting.
In the early hours of Sunday, November 1, 2026, Jada was at the Hideaway nightclub on Interstate 55 North Frontage Road in Jackson. The club was hosting a large Halloween costume party, and the dance floor was filled with young people. Around 1:00 a.m., the celebration was shattered by gunfire. According to the Jackson Police Department’s preliminary findings, two unidentified men wearing ski masks entered the nightclub. At least one of the men produced a firearm, described by the police chief as an "AR or AK-style rifle," and opened fire directly into the crowd.
The chaos resulted in the deaths of Jada Henderson and another young person, 20-year-old Lovdai Poindexter. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. The violence also left six other attendees wounded. The injured victims, all between the ages of 18 and 20, included four women and two men who were transported to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. Some of Jada's fellow JSU students were present and described leaving the party just minutes before the shooting, expressing their shock and heartbreak over what happened to their peers. One student later spoke about the trauma of seeing classmates with bandages after the attack.
The Jackson Police Department (JPD) launched a comprehensive investigation into the mass shooting, with assistance from the FBI in analyzing surveillance video. Investigators interviewed multiple witnesses and evidence technicians recovered numerous shell casings from the dance floor. Police Chief RaShall Brackney stated that the investigation would go beyond just identifying the shooters to also examine the conduct of the promoters, security personnel, and business operators whose actions or failures might have contributed to the tragedy. This was reportedly the second deadly shooting at the venue in a matter of months.
In the wake of the shooting, the community mourned the senseless loss of two young lives. Jackson Mayor John Horhn condemned the violence, stating, “No one should have to fear for their life while enjoying an evening out.” He directed the city attorney to explore legal options to have the nightclub declared a public nuisance and shut down. Jackson State University canceled undergraduate classes for two days and held a campus vigil. The university president, Dr. Denise Jones Gregory, expressed the community's devastation, saying, "When tragedy hits our students, it hits all of us. I share in the profound sorrow, concern, and pain that so many of you are feeling right now." Counseling services were made available to students, faculty, and staff.
As of early November 2026, the Jackson Police Department had not identified the two masked suspects, and no arrests had been made. The motive for the shooting remained unclear. The case is an active and ongoing investigation. Authorities have urged anyone with information regarding the incident or the identities of the suspects to contact the Jackson Police Department at (601) 960-1800 or Crime Stoppers at (601) 355-TIPS (8477).
