Georgia inmate used a gun to kill a prison kitchen worker before killing himself, officials say
Updated: 12:12 PM EDT Jun 17, 2024
644. ITS TIME FOR NEWS TO GO. WE’VE GOT A LOOK AT TODAY’S TOP NEWS STORIES, TRAFFIC AND WEATHER ALL BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT THE DOOR. FIRST. SLEET CONTINUES TO INVESTIGATE A DEADLY SHOOTING INVOLVING SPARTANBURG COUNTY DEPUTIES HAPPENED NEAR MAGNOLIA STREET IN HIGHWAY 150, IN THE PARK AREA LAST NIGHT. SPARTANBURG COUNTY DEPUTIES SAY THEY RESPONDED AROUND 7:45 P.M. AND REFERENCED TO A FIGHT IN A POOL BETWEEN INTOXICATED INDIVIDUALS. OFFICERS SAY WHEN DEPUTIES ARRIVED, SHOTS WERE BEING FIRED INSIDE THE HOME AFTER TWO HOURS OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE SUSPECT. DEPUTIES SAY THE SUSPECT FIRED AT OFFICERS SEVERAL TIMES. THEY SAY WHEN THE SUSPECT MOVED TO THE ROADWAY IN A VERY AGGRESSIVE MANNER, DEPUTIES FIRED, KILLING THEM. THE CORONER HAS NOT IDENTIFIED THE SUSPECT. WE CONTINUE TO FOLLOW MORE BREAKING NEWS THIS MORNING. THIS TIME OUT OF PICKENS COUNTY, WHERE A WOMAN IS DEAD AFTER A DROWNING INCIDENT. THE PICKENS COUNTY CORONER SAYS IT HAPPENED AT HER HOME ON ARMSTRONG DRIVE IN MARIETTA AROUND 6:30 P.M. HE SAYS 34 YEAR OLD LISA MARIE BLUE WAS TREATED AT THE SCENE, BUT ULTIMATELY PASSED AWAY. THE CORONER SAID THE CAUSE AND MANNER OF DEATH ARE STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION. IN THE PICKENS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE AND THE CORONER’S OFFICE BOTH CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE HER DEATH SLED CONTINUES TO INVESTIGATE. AN OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING IN GREENVILLE COUNTY. GREENVILLE COUNTY DEPUTIES SAY THAT HAPPENED SATURDAY NIGHT AROUND EIGHT ON ARCH AFTER THEY RECEIVED A911 CALL ABOUT A DISTURBANCE. OFFICIALS SAY WHEN DEPUTIES ARRIVED, THEY FOUND AN ARMED MAN OUTSIDE. THEY SAY THE SUSPECT WAS SHOT BY A DEPUTY AND NO DEPUTIES WERE HARMED. THE CORONER HAS IDENTIFIED THE MAN AS 55 YEAR OLD RONALD BAYLOR, FORMER SOUTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR NIKKI HALEY ANNOUNCED SUNDAY HER FATHER DIED ON FATHER’S DAY. SHE POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA, QUOTE, THIS MORNING, I HAD TO SAY GOODBYE TO THE SMARTEST, SWEETEST, KINDEST, MOST DECENT MAN I HAVE EVER KNOWN. END QUOTE. HALEY DID NOT REVEAL A CAUSE OF DEATH OR HIS AGE. HALEY WAS BORN IN 1972, IN SOUTH CAROLINA, BUT HER FATHER EMIGRATED FROM THEIR NATIVE INDIA. A MEMORIAL SERVICE WILL BE HELD THIS WEEK FOR A SLED CANINE KILLED WHILE ON THE JOB. K9 COBA WAS SHOT AND KILLED LAST WEEK WHILE OFFICERS WERE TRYING TO ARREST AN ARMED MAN. THE MEMORIAL WILL BE HELD AT THE S.C. CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACADEMY IN COLUMBIA ON WEDNESDAY MORNING AT TEN, AND SLED SAYS IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, DONATIONS CAN BE SENT IN COBY’S NAME TO THE FOUNDATION OF FORMER AGENTS OF SLED IN IRMO. IT’S VERY LOCAL WEEK HERE AND TO BREAK DOWN EVERYTHING, THE FREE APP POWERED BY WIFE FOUR HAS TO OFFER AS CHIEF NATIONAL CONSUMER CORRESPONDENT JEFF ROSSEN. YEAH, VERY LOCAL IS MORE THAN JUST ANOTHER APP ON YOUR PHONE. IT’S A TOOL. IT’S GOING TO HELP YOU STAY INFORMED WITH THIS STATION’S NEWS. YOUR LOCAL WEATHER UPDATES, AND YOU’RE ALSO GOING TO FIND A NEW SHOW OR TWO TO BINGE WATCH, WHICH WE LOVE. SO HOW DO YOU GET IT? YOU CAN FIND IT IN YOUR PHONE’S APP STORE, OKAY? OR YOU CAN FIND IT ON YOUR CONNECTED DEVICES LIKE ROKU OR AMAZON FIRE STICK. REALLY, IT’S AVAILABLE ON ANY SCREEN THAT YOU STREAM ON. ONCE YOU OPEN THE APP, YOU’RE GOING TO SEE THIS RIGHT OVER HERE, OKAY? YOU’RE GOING TO PICK YOUR LOCATION THAT YOU’RE IN, RIGHT? THEN AND YOU’RE GOING TO CLICK ON IT. YOU DON’T NEED TO PROVIDE ANYTHING ELSE. ALL RIGHT. NO CREDIT CARD INFORMATION NOTHING ELSE. BECAUSE VERY LOCAL IS FREE. ALL RIGHT. SO WE’RE IN THIS IS WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO SEE IF YOU’RE ON YOUR TV. THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. VERY LOCAL IS STREAMING 24 OVER SEVEN. YOU CAN CHECK OUT WHAT’S PLAYING RIGHT NOW IF YOU MISSED OUR LATEST NEWSCAST JUST CLICK RIGHT OVER HERE. YOU CAN WATCH OUR NEWS ANYTIME, ANYWHERE. IF YOU’RE HEADING OUTSIDE, NEED TO CHECK THE LOCAL FORECAST? IT’S ALL RIGHT HERE. AND YOU KNOW OUR FORECASTS ARE ACCURATE. THAT’S A GIVEN. OF COURSE. BUT IT GETS EVEN BETTER IF THERE’S BREAKING NEWS OR A MAJOR STORY HAPPENING HERE, OR EVEN IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. A SPECIAL ALERT IS GOING TO SHOW UP. YOU JUST CLICK IN AND NOW YOU ARE LIVE WATCHING ON ONE OF OUR GREAT HEARST STATIONS WITH THE BEST COVERAGE OF THAT BREAKING NEWS STORY IN REAL TIME, VERY LOCAL. IF YOU COULDN’T TELL IS ALL ABOUT LOCAL CONTENT, THAT IS WHAT WE DO. FROM IMPACTFUL DOCUMENTARIES TO COOKING SHOWS, EVEN TRUE CRIME. LIKE EVERY SEASON OF HOMETOWN TRAGEDY, IT’S ALL HAPPENING WHERE YOU ARE. IT’S RELEVANT TO YOU AND YOUR LIFE. OH, AND DON’T FORGET THIS IMPORTANT SECTION RIGHT OVER HERE AS WELL. IT’S MY FAVORITE ONE. IF YOU WANT TO CATCH UP ON MY REPORTS. YES, MY FAVORITE OF MY REPORTS, GET MORE TIPS ON HOW TO SAVE MONEY AND PROTECT YOUR FAMILY. THEY’RE ALL RIGHT HERE. ROSSEN REPORTS LIVES ON. VERY LOCAL AS WELL. SO THERE YOU GO. THAT’S VERY LOCAL. IT’S THE ONLY APP OUT THERE DEDICATED TO YOU AND WHERE YOU LIVE. DOWNLOAD IT NOW. DID I MENTION IT’S FREE? AND THAT’S ALL FOR TODAY. BACK TO YOU. YOUR TIME IS 648 AND SKIN CARE COMPANY SYNTEGRITY IS RECALLING SOME OF ITS SUNSCREEN FOUNDATION BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE MOLD CONTAMINATION. THE FDA SAID NINE LOTS OF IMPECCABLE SKIN SUNSCREEN FOUNDATION ARE BEING PULLED FROM SHELVES. NO ADVERSE REACTIONS HAVE BEEN REPORTED, BUT CONSUMERS ARE ADVISED TO STOP USING THE PRODUCT AND REQUEST A REFUND. INTEGRITY SAYS ALL OF ITS PRODUCTS PASSED INITIAL TESTING, BUT LATER PRODUCT SEPARATION CAUSED THAT CONTAMINATION. THE AREA BEHIND THE GREENVILLE-PICKENS SPEEDWAY WILL SOON BE DEVELOPED. REALTY LINK SAYS THAT WILL BECOME AN INDUSTRIAL SITE KNOWN AS SPEEDWAY BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY PARK. THE PROJECT IS PROJECTED TO COST $100 MILLION, AND THE FIRST TENANTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT ARE EXPECTED TO BE ANNOUNCED IN THE NEAR FUTURE. IN ADDITION TO THE INDUSTRIAL PARK, THE DEVELOPMENT WILL INCLUDE WALKING TRAILS AND OTHER AMENITIES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PARK AND FOR THE COMMUNITY. THIS PHASE OF THE PROJECT DOES NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE HISTORIC RACETRACK EITHER. YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUT THE PLANS ON OUR WF FOR.COM WEBSITE AND ON OUR MOBILE APP. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. HAPPY MONDAY, 649. IT’S GOING TO BE ANOTHER HOT, HUMID DAY. WE ARE ALREADY WARM 74 DEGREES IN GREENVILLE, 73 IN ANDERSON, 73. IN CLEMSON WE’VE GOT 70 DEGREES RIGHT NOW IN RUTHERFORDTON AS WE TAKE A LOOK OUTSIDE LIVE SUPER DOPPLER FOUR RADAR. SPOTTED A FEW SHOWERS VERY, VERY EARLY THIS MORNING. THOSE HAVE SINCE GONE AWAY. NOW IT’S ALL ABOUT THE HEAT AND HUMIDITY DRIVING HIGHS BACK INTO THE UPPER 80S. YES, WE COULD SEE A FEW MORE OF THOSE STRAY LIGHT SHOWERS ACROSS THE UPSTATE LATER TODAY, BUT IT WILL BE THOSE OF US IN THE MINORITY. THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A WIDESPREAD EVENT AT ALL. BETTER CHANCES OF SOME DOWNPOURS AND EVEN A FEW THUNDERSTORMS IN THE MOUNTAINS SHORTLY AFTER LUNCHTIME ALL THE WAY THROUGH THIS EVENING. THIS HAPPENED YESTERDAY. IT’S GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN TODAY. THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A DAILY THING, BY THE WAY. THE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE THAT IS SET UP IS GOING TO INHIBIT REALLY RAINFALL FOR THE BETTER PART OF THIS WEEK. SO JUST HOT AND HUMID. I AM EYEING SOME RAIN CHANCES FOR THE WEEKEND AND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. WE’LL TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR FOUR DAY PLUS IN ABOUT 7 OR 8 MINUTES FROM RIGHT NOW. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THE ROADS YOU’RE LOOKING LIVE AT. I 385 NEAR ROPER MOUNTAIN ROAD IN GREENVILLE COUNTY AT 650. THIS IS LOOKING ABOUT AS AWESOME AS WE CAN SEE IT. LOOK, TAKE A LOOK. YOU’RE SEEING SOME CARS, SOME 18 WHEELERS, BUT WE’RE NOT SEEING ANY SLOWDOWNS. WE’RE NOT SEEING ANY STOPS THERE. THAT’S FANTASTIC NEWS. IF YOUR TRAVELS BRING YOU INTO DOWNTOWN GREENVILLE OR PERHAPS YOU’RE LEAVING DOWNTOWN GREENVILLE, HEADING SOMEWHERE ELSE. SMOOTH SAILING OUT THERE SO FAR THIS MORNING. TRAVEL TIMES LOOK GOOD TO ALL IN THE GREEN. HAVE NOT CHANGED FROM THE GREEN AT ALL THIS MORNING, WHICH IS GREAT. I-240 TO ASHEVILLE HIGHWAY AT 12 MINUTES. AIRPORT TO WOODRUFF ROAD AT SEVEN MINUTES, AND THEN FAIRVIEW ROAD TO DOWNTOWN ON 385 NORTHBOUND 13 MINUTES FOR THAT COMMUTE AT ANOTHER GREENVILLE BUSINESS IS PLANNING ON CLOSING, WANDERING BARD MEADERY POSTED ON ITS FACEBOOK. THEY’RE SHUTTING DOWN IN NOVEMBER, THEY SAY IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH INSURANCE, BUT BECAUSE THE LEASE IS UP AT THE END OF THE YEAR AND THEY DID ALSO MENTION THERE COULD STILL BE A CHANCE THE BUSINESS COULD MOVE. FOR MORE ON THE CLOSING, YOU CAN VISIT WYFF 4.COM FOR A LONG RUNNING BROADWAY SHOW. IS RETURNING TO DOWNTOWN GREENVILLE AS PART OF THE PEACE CENTER’S NEWEST SEASON, AND THE TICKETS GO ON SALE THIS MORNING. YOU CAN BUY TICKETS FOR THE LION KING BEGINNING THIS MORNING AT 10 A.M. THE SHOW WILL COME TO LIFE ON THE PEACE CENTER STAGE FROM SEPTEMBER 11TH THROUGH THE 29TH, AND YOU’LL BE ABLE TO PURCHASE TICKETS THROUGH THE BOX OFFICE ON THE PEACE CENTER WEBSITE OR APP, AND ALSO BY PHONE. A BIG CONGRATULATIONS ARE IN ORDER THIS MORNING AT WIFE FOR AS WE HAVE A COUPLE OF EMMY AWARD WINNERS, OUR OWN RASHAD WILLIAMS HAS WON AN EMMY FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT, BEST LIVE NEWS REPORTER, AND SEVERAL TEAM MEMBERS ALSO WON BEST EVENING NEWSCAST FOR OUR 5 P.M. NEWSCAST BACK IN NOVEMBER FOR A NEWSCAST WAS THE DAY WE LEARNED OCONEE COUNTY DEPUTY LUCAS WATTS WAS SHOT IN THE LINE OF DUTY. DEPUTY WATTS IS NOW RECOVERING
Georgia inmate used a gun to kill a prison kitchen worker before killing himself, officials say
Updated: 12:12 PM EDT Jun 17, 2024
An inmate used a gun to kill a kitchen worker at a Georgia prison early Sunday before fatally shooting himself, state officials said.The Georgia Department of Corrections in a statement said it’s investigating the deaths at Smith State Prison in rural southeast Georgia. The agency provided few immediate details, including how the inmate obtained a firearm.The agency’s statement said inmate Jaydrekus Hart fatally shot a food service worker in the prison’s kitchen at about 4:30 a.m. Sunday, then used the gun to kill himself.“The weapon is in GDC custody at this time, and a complete and thorough investigation of what led up to this tragic incident will be carried out,” the statement said.Agency spokeswoman Lori Benoit provided no further information when reached by phone. She said further details would be released when they become available.The slain kitchen worker, 24-year-old Aureon Shavea Grace of Statesboro, had worked at the prison since January, according to the corrections department. She was employed by Aramark, a Philadelphia-based company that provides food service for prisons in Georgia and other U.S. states.“We are heartbroken over the loss of our colleague and our hearts and prayers go out to her family,” Aramark spokesperson Debbie Albert said in an emailed statement. “This is a tragedy for all of us.”Albert said the company was assisting Georgia prison officials in their investigation.It’s the second killing of a staff member at Smith State Prison in less than a year. Correctional officer Robert Clark, 42, died last October after an inmate he was escorting attacked him from behind with a homemade weapon.A state investigation into a sprawling contraband scheme inside the prison resulted in the arrest and firing of the prison’s warden, Brian Adams, in February 2023. He was charged with racketeering, bribery, making or writing false statements and violating his oath as a public officer.Hart had been imprisoned since 2015 after being convicted in Carroll County of voluntary manslaughter and aggravated battery, according to online prison records. His earliest potential release date would have been in 2043.Smith State Prison, which has capacity for 1,500 inmates, is a close-security prison that houses offenders considered violent or an escape risk.
An inmate used a gun to kill a kitchen worker at a Georgia prison early Sunday before fatally shooting himself, state officials said.
The Georgia Department of Corrections in a statement said it’s investigating the deaths at Smith State Prison in rural southeast Georgia. The agency provided few immediate details, including how the inmate obtained a firearm.
The agency’s statement said inmate Jaydrekus Hart fatally shot a food service worker in the prison’s kitchen at about 4:30 a.m. Sunday, then used the gun to kill himself.
“The weapon is in GDC custody at this time, and a complete and thorough investigation of what led up to this tragic incident will be carried out,” the statement said.
Agency spokeswoman Lori Benoit provided no further information when reached by phone. She said further details would be released when they become available.
The slain kitchen worker, 24-year-old Aureon Shavea Grace of Statesboro, had worked at the prison since January, according to the corrections department. She was employed by Aramark, a Philadelphia-based company that provides food service for prisons in Georgia and other U.S. states.
“We are heartbroken over the loss of our colleague and our hearts and prayers go out to her family,” Aramark spokesperson Debbie Albert said in an emailed statement. “This is a tragedy for all of us.”
Albert said the company was assisting Georgia prison officials in their investigation.
It’s the second killing of a staff member at Smith State Prison in less than a year. Correctional officer Robert Clark, 42, died last October after an inmate he was escorting attacked him from behind with a homemade weapon.
A state investigation into a sprawling contraband scheme inside the prison resulted in the arrest and firing of the prison’s warden, Brian Adams, in February 2023. He was charged with racketeering, bribery, making or writing false statements and violating his oath as a public officer.
Hart had been imprisoned since 2015 after being convicted in Carroll County of voluntary manslaughter and aggravated battery, according to online prison records. His earliest potential release date would have been in 2043.
Smith State Prison, which has capacity for 1,500 inmates, is a close-security prison that houses offenders considered violent or an escape risk.
