Jibri Bryan, No. 34, of the Mercer Bears celebrates with teammates after defeating the Duke Blue Devils 78-71 during the Second Round of the 2014 NCAA Basketball Tournament. (Getty)
A 24-year-old man has been charged with felony murder in the callous broad daylight shooting of Mercer University basketball player Jibri Bryan, who was gunned down Tuesday afternoon in the parking lot of a Macon, Georgia, gas station.
Jarvis Miller was arrested Wednesday morning, the Macon Telegraph reports. He was shot during the incident, but police said there is no evidence that Bryan, 23, fired at him. The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a second shooter, according to the Telegraph.
Miller fled from the scene after the shooting and was taken to a local hospital after being found by police.
Here’s what you need to know about Miller, Bryan and the shooting:
1. Bryan Was Shot by Miller & Another Man Multiple Times, Police Say
Jibri Bryan goes for a loose ball against Tennessee during the 2014 NCAA Basketball Tournament. (Getty)
Jibri Bryan was in a car in the parking lot of the Flash Foods convenience store and gas station in Macon at about 4 p.m. Tuesday when he was shot, the Macon Telegraph reports.
The shooting was captured on security cameras, police said. Bibb County Sheriff David Davis told reporters Jarvis Miller and another man arrived at the store and both fired shots at Bryan. The two men exchanged words with the basketball star before firing at him, according to police.
“There was some type of discussion or altercation that came about that resulted in gunfire,” Davis told WMAZ-TV.
Bryan was shot in the head and pronounced dead at the scene.
The gunmen’s 2008 Nissan Sentra was found Tuesday night by police. A gun was found behind the convenience store.
2. Miller May Have Been Shot by His Accomplice
Arrest in #Mercer player Jibiri Bryan shooting. 23 y/o Jarvis Miller charged. Coverage @WGXAnews #MercerStrong
Miller may have been accidentally shot by the other gunman, Bibb County Sheriff David Davis told reporters Wednesday. Police are searching for the second shooter.
“It shows a disregard for who may be around,” Davis told the Macon Telegraph. “This is a sad situation.”
He was wounded several times and then ran away from the scene. A witness gave police a description of Miller and he was found by officers and taken to a local hospital, the Telegraph reports.
Davis said they have leads as to who the accomplice may be. They have not said what the motive for the shooting might have been.
“To do this in broad, open daylight, right here where hundreds of people are coming by,” Davis said, “it shows just a callousness.”
3. He Is Still Being Treated at the Hospital & Is Under Police Guard
Miller is being treated at Navicent Health, a Macon Hospital, WMAZ-TV reports.
He was listed in stable condition and is under armed guard. It’s not clear when he will be released. Police have not said where he was shot.
4. Bryan Was a Key Player for Mercer, but Was Battling a Knee Injury
Jibri Bryan knocks the ball away from Amile Jefferson, of Duke, during Mercer’s upset victory over the Blue Devils in the 2014 NCAA Basketball tournament. (Getty)
Bryan, a graduate student from Savannah, Georgia, and a father of a young son, was a guard for Mercer. Bryan graduated last year with a degree in accounting and was on track to complete a master’s degree in business administration, according to Mercer.
He went to Benedictine Military School and joined the Mercer basketball team in 2010. He was a starter for the Bears last season, averaging 29 minutes per game and career highs in scoring, rebounds, assists and steals. But he was battling a knee injury this season and only appeared in six games. He was working his way back to the lineup.
Bryan was a key member of Mercer’s stunning upset of the Duke Blue Devils in 2014 during the NCAA Basketball Tournament.
Doug Willett, who was an assistant coach at Benedictine when Bryan played there and now is the team’s head coach, told the Macon Telegraph Bryan was a “class act” and everything a father would want his son to be.
“I know at Mercer he dealt with some knee (injury) issues for two years, but he stayed positive and he stayed close to Jesus,” Willett said. “The times I talked to him about it, he was real positive and kept working. That’s the way he was with everything — a hard worker, a great kid. It was a privilege to know him. … He was a great guy. I can’t imagine him doing anything to bring this on himself.”
5. A Candlelight Vigil Is Scheduled for Wednesday Night to Remember Bryan
Mercer University said it is planning to hold a vigil to remember Bryan Wednesday night.
President William Underwood said in a statement the community is “grieving” Bryan’s tragic death and offered thoughts and prayers to his family.
“First and foremost, my heartfelt sympathy goes out to the Bryans. The Mercer athletic family is deeply saddened by Jibri’s passing,” Athletic Director Jim Cole said in a statement. “Jibri was always cheerful and greeted everyone in the department with a smile. He will not only be missed by his basketball family but by all of us in the University Athletic Department.”
Bryan’s coach, Bob Hoffman, said in a statement, “Jibri Bryan was a special young man who was a great contributor to our team and did everything that was asked of him. He was important to us in every way. I loved him and cared about him from the very first time he was on our campus. We grew to be very close over the years. Our thoughts and prayers are with his special family.”
