By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
TALLADEGA, Ala. — A Talladega family is grieving the loss of an 18-year-old recent high school graduate who was shot and killed just weeks after receiving his diploma.
According to the Talladega Police Department, officers responded around 2:24 a.m. on May 31 to reports of a gunshot victim in the 600 block of McAlpine Street. Upon arrival, officers found a young man lying on a sidewalk with a gunshot wound to the head.
Police immediately began life-saving efforts while awaiting emergency medical personnel. However, the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities later identified the victim as Jy’Kavien Wright, a member of Talladega High School’s Class of 2026. His death has shocked friends, classmates, and community members who had recently celebrated his graduation.
Investigators from the Talladega Police Department, assisted by crime scene specialists from the Jacksonville State University Center for Applied Forensics, processed evidence and collected information from the scene. The Talladega County Coroner’s Office also responded.
Police have classified the case as a homicide and continue searching for the person or persons responsible. No arrests have been announced, and investigators have not released a possible motive.
CrimeStoppers 215STOP is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Wright’s body was transported to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in Montgomery for an autopsy.
Authorities are asking anyone with information about the shooting to contact the Talladega Police Department or CrimeStoppers as the investigation continues.