Community activist killed in shooting at apartment complex on Randolph Street

SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) - Savannah and Chatham County Police responded to a shooting at an apartment complex on Randolph Street early Friday morning.

Officials say at around 2 a.m., officers responded to the 200 block of Randolph Street on reports of a shooting.

Upon arrival, officers discovered 32-year-old Shawntray Grant deceased in a parking lot. Grant was the leader of the "Bullhorn Crew" and was an active member of the community against gun violence in the city of Savannah.

Facebook is flooded with words of gratitude for Grant and his family. All the posts had something in common: his love for people and standing up against gun violence in the community.

Van Johnson with the City of Savannah says it's a tragic loss for our community because Grant never stopped serving our community when it came to the youth, nonprofit groups, and mainly - gun violence.

"I wonder about why bad things happen to good people and just the Orions of someone who works so hard in our community against gun violence that would become a victim of gun violence," Alderman Johnson said. "Shawntray was a General of our community and particularly on the streets of our city."

The community is taking this act of violence hard, but not as hard as his family.

"I saw his truck door open and I just saw him laying on the ground and I was just done," said Grant's sister, Shance Brown. "I just screamed and cried and yelled and prayed all at the same time."

"He's used to coming out to situations like this and being a voice for families and soothing families, but now it's a whole different outlook because now it's him so it's like, who is going to sooth and do it for him?"

He was known around town as the man with the bullhorn, and if you knew him personally, you probably called him "Puff."

"The things that he did weren't unnoticed. It's very beautiful, but at the same time, this tragedy is just hurting everybody."

His sister says when she learned that it was her brother lying in the middle of the apartment complex, she didn't believe it to be true. She thought maybe it was all a dream.

"It's gonna be very hard not hearing his voice, not seeing him," he said.

His family says they will miss his smile and the way he stood up for the streets of Savannah. Just two weeks ago, Grant posted a cryptic message on Facebook, saying, 'When I pass, just give me a regular funeral.' He said he wants people to have a good time and he went on to say. 'tell my sister that's enough of that crying.'

"He would always be the life of the partym, so I reshared the post that he put and I said the only thing we could do is follow his wishes."

Violent Crimes detectives are investigating this incident as a homicide. The circumstances surrounding this incident remain under investigation.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to call the Violent Crimes Unit tip line at 912.525.3124. Information may also be forwarded to CrimeStoppers at 912.234.2020. Tipsters remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward.

WTOC will continue to follow this investigation. Stay with us for the latest developments.

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