Four people are now in police custody on charges related to the 2023 shooting death of Jackson State University student Jaylen Burns.
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation announced the arrests of 23-year-old Elisha Brown, 23-year-old Jamison Kelly, Jr., 24-year-old Marquis Scales and 21-year-old Ziqua Amos on Friday, Nov. 7. All are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Both Scales and Amos have each been charged with murder, the press release states. Elisha Brown faces a charge of accessory after the fact and hindering prosecution. Kelly faces a charge of accessory after the fact.
The U.S. Marshals Service assisted MBI in locating and arresting the individuals connected to this case, Department of Public Safety spokesperson Bailey Martin said in the press release.
“This investigation took years of hard work and collaboration among multiple agencies,” MBI Lt. Col. James Herzog said in the release. “MBI extends its sincere gratitude to all law enforcement partners for their dedication and commitment to ensuring justice was served.”
Days after Burns’ death, his father, Jason Burns, said Jaylen died after being shot while trying to break up a fight at an apartment complex during the university’s homecoming weekend. “He wasn’t a violent kid. He didn’t know anything about guns or fighting or gangs, you know, anything about that,” Jason Burns told ABC7 Chicago. “He just—I don’t know. I never felt like this before in my life.”
Earlier Arrest Sparked Lawsuit
The death of the beloved senior engineering student from Chicago was highly publicized, particularly after police arrested then-19-year-old Joshua Brown for murder and possessing a firearm on school property.
Joshua Brown’s family and friends objected, claiming he was not in Jackson at the time of the shooting. They shared GPS tracking data from his phone and surveillance video with the Mississippi Free Press that cast doubt on Joshua Brown’s alleged involvement.
Officers originally arrested Jamison Kelly Jr. in connection with Burns’ death, alleging he drove the getaway vehicle with Joshua Brown away from the location after the shooting. When surveillance video and GPS data cast doubt on Joshua Brown’s involvement, a judge subsequently ordered police to release both Joshua Brown and Kelly.
Joshua Brown’s mother, Shirley Brown, filed a lawsuit over the ordeal on her son’s behalf in September 2024 against Jackson State University, Jackson State University Campus Police Department and several other individuals and entities, alleging that he was wrongfully accused, arrested, detained and jailed.
That lawsuit was later amended to remove Joshua Brown’s mother from the case and the judge has dismissed some defendants from the complaint.
He is now the sole plaintiff. The lawsuit is ongoing.
‘A Promising Young Man’
Stewpot Community Services unveiled a mural dedicated to Jaylen Burns last October to recognize his dedication to service.
“Even though Jaylen didn’t have any kids, the work that he did, the work that Alpha Phi Alpha continues to do, that’s his legacy,” his mother La’Trice Wright said, referring to her son’s community service with the fraternity.
After Friday’s arrests, Jackson State University sent the following statement to the Mississippi Free Press.
“The Jackson State University community continues to mourn the 2023 loss of our fellow Tiger, Jaylen Burns. We were made aware of four arrests today in connection with the fatal shooting and are grateful for the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, the Hinds County District Attorney’s Office and other partner agencies for their work,” the statement said.
“JSU remains committed to fostering healing, safety and unity within our community, and we continue to cooperate with authorities,” it continued. “Our hearts are with the family, friends and classmates of Jaylen, a promising young man whose life was cut short far too soon.”