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This story originally appeared in the Jackson Free Press. It was added to the Mississippi Free Press website in 2025.
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A cousin of Jackson State University student Ryan Henderson, gunned down last weekend at a pool party, is blaming JSU football players for the shooting. On her Tumblr page this morning, Shelby Davonna wrote: โ€œMy cousin Ryan was brutally murdered by members of the Jackson State University football team after he accidentally bumped into a player during a pool party. The problem could have been resolved when Ryan apologized, but instead he was jumped 3 times, chased around an apartment complex, and eventually was shot in the face.โ€

The JFP has not confirmed her accusations and has reached out to Davonna for more information. If you have information about the shooting, please write [e-mail missing] or call 601-362-6121 ext. 22 right away. We can protect your identity if needed.

Previous Comments

Sports wise, not saying the JSU football did anything wrong or took part in anything, my first thought was if Casey Therriault was there. Given his past and this event (hearing party was for outgoing football players) NFL teams will stay away from him in the draft. Just from a sports standpoint.


What the Ledger is reporting. Emphasis: all just accusations at this point.


There’s also a busy #justiceforryan hashtag timeline on Twitter.


Folks, JSU Student Life Dir. Marcus Chanay will be on Direct Line tonight giving an official statement in the Henderson shooting. 7pm on Comcast 14. Councilman Tony Yarber and D.A. Robert Smith will be on also


Will he will say more than they sayin this statement just now? You should post under that story, too.

Founding Editor Donna Ladd is a writer, journalist and editor from Philadelphia, Miss., a graduate of Mississippi State University and later the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, where she was an alumni award recipient in 2021. She writes about racism/whiteness, poverty, gender, violence, journalism and the criminal justice system. She contributes long-form features and essays to The Guardian when she has time, and was the co-founder and editor-in-chief of the Jackson Free Press. She co-founded the statewide nonprofit Mississippi Free Press with Kimberly Griffin in March 2020, and the Mississippi Business Journal named her one of the state's top CEOs in 2024. Read more at donnaladd.com, follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @donnerkay and email her at donna@mississippifreepress.org.