2 victims in weekend Savannah shooting identified as murder suspect and registered gang member

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Savannah police confirmed Tyreek Lester and Deshon Lawrence, both 27, were killed in a weekend shooting near 33rd and Cedar St.

Lester was a suspect in the 2023 killing of Wanya Pringle and had his case ongoing in the court system with a trial approaching.

Jail records show Lawrence is a registered Blood gang member.

Police said the shooting this weekend was targeted. The Chatham County coroner identified the two men on Monday who were shot at least once Sunday afternoon.

Savannah Police so far have not announced any arrests in the shooting.

Alderman was at the scene

Alderman Detric Leggett, who represents District 2, said he was at the scene of the double homicide investigation Sunday and performed CPR.

Leggett said a female police officer was the first on the scene with him.

“She rendered CPR to one of the young men and I worked on the other one,” Leggett said. “When you see a familiar face on the ground, the first thing you want to do is do all that you can do to help bring them home.”

Drive-by and targeted shooting

A person who said they were at the scene when the shooting happened said it was a drive-by shooting. The witness said one of the men was visiting family when someone drove up in an SUV and started shooting.

Leggett said the investigation is in its early stages.

“From what I understand, it was somebody that they targeted,” Leggett said. “They drove up, and they decided to unload within the community.”

Leggett said he believes the shooting was intentional.

“I think this was intentionally a homicide,” Leggett said. “It wasn’t somebody shooting far distance, it was very close.”

Leggett said the bullets “not only struck the individuals, but it struck multiple different cars or houses.”

Question of motive

Asked whether Lester’s murder case or Lawrence’s gang registration could have contributed to the shooting, Leggett said, “It’s hard to say until we get to the end of this investigation, what actually made it stem to what it is now.”

“We do have active affiliations within the community,” Leggett said.

Leggett said he is working with the Office of Neighborhood Engagement and is engaging with groups that are affiliated. He said the sheriff’s office and the police department have gang units working on the issue.

“A lot of gangs that you do see, some of them are neighborhood groups and neighborhood affiliations,” Leggett said.

Shootings in the area

Savannah Police have investigated 6 shootings in the nearby area so far this year. None were fatal until this weekend.

Leggett said the police chief, the sheriff, the mayor and he have walked the neighborhood and gone door to door with neighbors. He said he is working with Capt. Beatty, who leads the precinct, to identify where the shootings are coming from.

Leggett said oftentimes people who commit crimes in the area do not live there.

“What we’ve seen, each time there’s been a shooting or something over in that area, it’s been people that’s not from that area,” Leggett said. “The victims are either relatives of or people who live in the area. But the people who are doing the crimes are the people who don’t even live over here.”

Investigation

“So we did not go to sleep at all last night,” Leggett said. “We wanted to make sure that we were going to hold somebody accountable.”

Leggett said cameras and tips helped the investigation.

“We have Flock cameras in the area, and the Flock cameras were taking pictures. Neighbors’ Ring doorbells were taking pictures. So that actually helped us, along with a lot of intel that came from people,” Leggett said.

Leggett encouraged residents with security cameras to share access with law enforcement.

“If you see something, make sure you say something,” Leggett said.

Community response

“The community right now as a whole, from Waters Avenue to B Road, we are all in disbelief and also mourning that these young men did not have to lose their lives,” Leggett said.

Lester’s pending case

Lester was a suspect in the 2023 killing of Wanya Pringle. He was out of jail and wearing an ankle monitor while awaiting trial.

Another man, Jalon Jackson, is also charged in the Pringle case.

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That case can still proceed in court, pending an indictment.

We will provide updates as arrests are made.