HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) – A man was sentenced on Monday to 40 years in prison after fatally shooting a bystander trying to intervene in a domestic issue in 2021.
According to officials, around 7:20 p.m. on July 22, 2021, 26-year-old Jaylin Avery shot 20-year-old Deshawn Powell, an innocent bystander who was attempting to intervene during a domestic incident. Powell was then transferred to a local hospital where he later died.
Following the fatal shooting, Avery had warrants for second-degree murder, use of a firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and reckless handling of a firearm. He was eventually taken into custody on Aug. 9, 2021 with help from the U.S. Marshal’s Task Force and Portsmouth Police.
Several years later, on Oct. 23, 2024, Avery pleaded guilty to the shooting instead of continuing with his trial.
As a result of Avery’s plea, he was sentenced on Dec. 30 to a total of 40 years in prison.
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