Jamahri Sims Obituary, Death;- The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has verified that a 16-year-old has passed away and another individual has sustained injuries following a shooting incident on Monday afternoon in Tifton.

As per a statement issued by the GBI, officers from the Tifton Police Department (TPD) arrived at South Central Avenue at approximately 1 p.m. on Monday, October 6, where they discovered 16-year-old Jamahri Sims suffering from a gunshot wound.

Sims was transported to Tift Regional Medical Center, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. Subsequent investigations revealed that another individual had also been shot during the incident. This victim was located at a residence near East 13th Street. They were taken to Tift Regional Medical Center and are currently receiving medical care for their injuries.

Tift County Schools expressed their condolences on social media, mourning the loss of Sims, who was a student.

Tifton Police Chief Steve Hyman also took to social media to share his thoughts following this tragic event.

It Takes All of Us

Yesterday, I watched law enforcement officers, firefighters, and paramedics perform CPR and fight to keep one of our kids alive. I visited the ER, where another teen had been shot multiple times.

Why? Because we still can’t seem to put together a simple four-piece puzzle, and until we do, this senseless violence will continue.

Over the past several months, I’ve asked for the community’s help in getting illegal guns off our streets and out of the hands of our teens. I’ve asked parents to step up, to check what their kids are doing, whether they’re possessing guns, and who and where they’re hanging out.

We’ve made it simple and safe to speak up. Anonymous tip lines and reporting apps are available, allowing anyone to share information without getting personally involved.

Law enforcement, the school system, and local government have all stepped up their part. We’re working together, being proactive, and taking lawful action to stop these things from happening. With that has come increased scrutiny, and that’s fine. We’ll continue doing what’s right and what’s legal to protect our city and our youth.

But no measure we take, no program we launch, and no operation we conduct can ever equal the power of good parenting at home. That’s where the real change begins.

If we truly want to stop the violence, the shootings, the fights, the senseless loss of life, and get our kids back on track, it starts with parents stepping in, setting boundaries, and staying involved in their kids’ lives and decisions. The future of our community depends on every piece of this puzzle working together, especially at home.

My thoughts and prayers are with the families, and my heart goes out to everyone affected. To be clear, this message is about preventing further pain in our community, not pointing fingers, but bringing us all together.

Chief Steve Hyman, Tifton Police Department

Sims’s body will be taken to the GBI Crime Lab, located in Macon, GA, where an autopsy will be performed. Once the investigation is complete, the case file will be given to the Tift County District Attorney’s Office for review and potential prosecution.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Sylvester at 229-777-2080, or the Tifton Police Department at 229-382-3132. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477),