Cameron Adams
Editor-in-Chief
After days of searching, Jackson State University Acting President Elayne H. Anthony, announced the arrest of two suspects in the shooting of JSU student Jaylen Burns.
The announcement of the arrest of Jones College student Joshua Brown occurred on Oct. 19 in a press conference held in front of the H.P. Jacobs Administration Tower. A press release via campus email was also issued from Acting President Anthony that read in part:
We are pleased to share that a suspect has been arrested in connection to the shooting death of student Jaylen Burns. On behalf of the entire Jackson State University community, I’d like to thank the JSU Department of Public Safety, the Jones College Department of Public Safety, Jackson Police Department, the Capitol Police Department and the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance on this matter. I’d also like to thank everyone for their outpouring of love, prayers and support for our students and the Burns family. While this arrest brings a sense of relief, we know the pain of losing our loved one will take time to heal.
Today, an update was issued again from Acting President Anthony via campus email that read:
This morning, members of the Jackson State University Department of Public Safety, the U.S. Marshall Task Force, and the Columbia Police Department arrested Jamison Kelly Jr. of Columbia, Miss., as a second suspect in the shooting of JSU student Jaylen Burns. He will be transported to the Raymond Detention Center.
Additionally, suspect Joshua Brown appeared in Hinds County Court this morning, where he was denied bond. Brown and Kelly are not JSU students.
We’d like to thank our partners in the U.S. Marshall Task Force, Columbia Police Department, and the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance on this matter.
Together, we will remain JSU Strong.
This followed a vigil on Oct. 17 in which Jackson State University students, administrators, faculty and staff gathered around the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity monument to memorialize Burns. Burns, a senior industrial technology major from Chicago, Ill., tragically lost his life in a shooting at University Pointe Apartments at JSU.
On Oct.16, Acting President Elayne H. Anthony released the following statement regarding Burns. It read in part:
Our thoughts and prayers are with Jaylen’s family, friends and all those who knew him. He was an ambitious and bright young man, who believed in being of service as a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and president of Collegiate 100. We grieve the tragic loss of his life due to this senseless act of violence.
The safety of our students and campus community remains our priority. We are committed to addressing any threats to the security of this campus with the utmost care and attention.
We further encourage any member of our faculty, staff, or student body in need of grief support or locating counseling resources in your area, to please contact The Latasha Norman Center for Counseling Services at 601-979-0374 or email latashanormancenter@jsums.edu.
The University also offers trained clinicians for faculty and staff through an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Telus Health. If you have questions about access, please contact Human Resources.
The memorial service for Burns’ was organized by several organizations that he was a member of, including: The Delta Phi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Men of Excellence (MOX), Collegiate 100, and Career Services Center Ambassadors.
Burns’ friends and family were among the somber crowd along with members of the Delta Phi chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc, who gave tributes to the fallen Tiger.
Students at Jackson State who knew Burns personally had many positive things to recount about the beloved student.
Ja’Miyah Stokes, a close friend of Burns, shared her memories of Burns.
“Jaylen Anders Burns was my first male best friend at an age where it mattered the most and he was my first love,” said Stokes, a senior psychology major from Chicago. “To me he was a Superhero. He and my dad both loved Marvel and superheroes. Every time a movie came out, we watched it and talked about it and even after we broke up, we would talk about the movies together.”
Caleab Pickens, who served as a member of Collegiate 100 and Men of Excellence with Burns, had this to say.
“Jaylen was a great man. Meeting him in the summer was a great thing. He was also a nice and kind person. His spirit was ambitious and his light was always prominent,” said Pickens.
Other students said you only had to meet Burns to see his inner light.
“Jaylen was such a positive force on this campus. In my entire JSU experience, there has never been a time where I’ve seen JB and he wasn’t smiling, cheerful, and full of joy. I wasn’t even close to him but I can honestly say that his presence will truly be missed on this campus,” said Jai’Den Smith, a junior English major from St. Louis, Mo. Stokes also spoke about Burns as student and leader.
“As a person, he was everything you would want a young man to be: strong-minded, courageous, loving. Every good word you can think of fits who he was,” said Stokes.
After many tributes and a moment of silence, the audience counted down to seven, signifying Burns’ fraternity line number, before releasing balloons. As the black, gold, and blue balloons filled the sky, the audience collectively shouted, “We love you Jaylen (JB)!”
If you have any additional information about this incident, please contact the JSU Department of Public Safety at 601-979-2580.
