‘I really was shocked:’ Savannah community reacts after 3 overnight shootings

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - The Chatham County Coroner has identified the victim of a deadly shooting over the weekend and the community is reacting after a violent 24 hours.

26-year old Wesley Jolly was killed in a shooting at an Ogeechee Road gas station in the early hours Sunday morning.

“A little shocking to hear of a fatality or a shooting even that close to home.”

Savannah Police say two people were shot at 4000 block of Ogeechee road early Sunday morning. Leaving one person dead and the other in critical condition.

A person at the pump says his family lives and works nearby.

“It’s scary. for me, it’s not something you hear of in this area, in particular in savannah. you used to hear shootings and it’s the number streets, or state name streets, but not here on this side of town.”

“It’s kind of scary when it’s right here at a place I frequent so often.”

Drivers say it’s alarming it happened in such a public place.

“I really was shocked to hear it was here at this gas station because there’s usually so many people here.”

“It’s hard to believe that stuff goes on, especially out here in public. ain’t nowhere you go is safe.”

Savannah Mayor Van Johnson visiting the scene of Sunday’s fatal shooting.

“The fact is it can happen anywhere and we’re not in control of that, which is why it takes an entire community. we had both police departments respond, we have cameras all over the place, we know what happened, we saw what happened, and yet we still cannot prevent that from happening,” Savannah Mayor Van Johnson said.

That was just one of the shootings early Sunday morning.

Savannah PD says one person was shot in the 1300 block of Kenneth Dunham Street early Sunday morning.

Police say victim is in stable but serious condition at the hospital. The victim was found in his car less than a mile away over on Richards Street.

Mayor Van Johnson says a lot of gun violence is between people who know each other.

“We know that there’s no gang activity, we know that these are not random shootings, we know these are people in proximity with each other, know each other, have issues with each other,” Savannah Mayor Van Johnson said.

He says gun violence won’t stop until.

“Until we deal with the availability of guns and illegal guns in this state and in the community and people’s willingness to use guns to settle disputes, we’ll have these disputes,” Savannah Mayor Van Johnson said.

Investigations into all of these incidents are ongoing. SPD has not said if any arrests have been made.

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