Pair of Jackson Teens To Be Tried As Adults For July Shooting
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JACKSON, Tenn.- Two Jackson teens charged with two counts of attempted murder can be tried as adults for a July shooting in the Allenton Heights public housing complex. “It’s really sad when you think about it, but at the same time public safety is priority number one,” Captain Tyreece Miller with the Jackson Police Department said. “And these young men who were tried today, they’re a threat to society.” Following a transfer hearing today in Madison County Juvenile Court, Judge Christy Little ruled that there was probable cause that Jonquarius Cunningham, 17, and Randy Taylor, 18, committed the crimes. Cunningham was 16 and Taylor was 17 at the time of the shooting. Judge Little further ruled that Cunningham and Taylor could be transferred to adult court, and she ordered them both held without bond. Cunningham and Taylor were transported from juvenile court to the Madison County Jail. The case will now be presented to the Madison County grand jury. “The purpose of juvenile court is to try to rehabilitate juveniles, but there’s certain crimes and certain circumstances that leads a judge to believe that they can’t be rehabilitated,” Captain Miller said. Around 8:30 a.m. on July 21, police received a shots fired call in the area of Conger St. and Allen Ave. Officers arrived and found the then 16-year-old boy lying on the shoulder of the roadway on Allen Ave. He had been struck multiple times by gunshots. The victim was transported to Jackson-Madison County General Hospital and was later airlifted to the Regional Medical Center at Memphis. The investigation revealed that the teen victim and a 22-year-old man were walking together through Allenton Heights. As they walked past a group of males sitting outside, Cunningham and Taylor both shot at the victims. The teen was struck multiple times and the man was grazed on the hand by a bullet. Jackson police arrested Cunningham on July 25 and Taylor on Sept. 25. “This should serve notice to any juvenile who thinks they can go out here and commit a gun crime and shoot people or shoot at people and get away with it,” Captain Miller said. “They’re mistaken.”
