SAVANNAH, Ga. () – Following the tragic events in 2023 where two young men lost their lives to gun violence, the third and final suspect linked to their deaths now faces charges.
Three individuals, each out on bond at the time, have been indicted concerning the Dec. 2023 shooting deaths of 16-year-old Semaj Floyd and 20-year-old Omarion Whitfield.
Still, for the victims’ families, the sorrow is still fresh.
“The most difficult moment was when his mother called to tell me he had been murdered,” shared Semaj Floyd’s aunt, Tiffany Reed. “At first, I didn’t comprehend what she said because she didn’t mention he was shot. She just said, ‘My baby is dead.'”
reported that Vaquez Coleman, 19, and Harold Roberson, 20, were served arrest warrants in connection to the shooting deaths in October 2024.
This May, Coleman, Roberson, and a third man, Joshua Reddick, were indicted.
According to the Chatham County District Attorney’s Office, all three were out on bond against the objection of the state at the time of the murders. Bond was granted by Judge Penny Freesman.
Still, Reed doesn’t harbor any hate for them.
“It’s still unfortunate that their families have to go through this and see that your kid killed another kid,” she said.
Floyd would’ve turned 18 this year and would’ve been graduating high school.
“I never thought that he would have passed away so early. I thought we had more time. I really did,” Reed said.
She told gun violence has been an issue in Savannah her whole life.
“I always had a fear because he’s a boy, a young boy living in Savannah, Georgia. I just always had a fear of him getting into the wrong stuff, even with the police or with gun violence, I always feared it, but I never knew it would happen,” Floyd’s aunt said. “I feel like there should be more youth challenges, more youth buildings for these young kids to do other things. They just pick up these guns, and they think that they’re cool just because they have a gun.”
This year in Savannah, there have been 118 non-domestic aggravated assaults with a gun, according to the Savannah Police Departments’ latest crime reports.
“We are going to always keep his name alive,” Reed said. “I don’t want everybody to feel sorry for just my situation. I want them to relate because it could be your little brother, it could be your nephew.”
A court date has not yet been set for the three men accused of felony murder. They were also indicted for aggravated assault and criminal attempt to commit a felony.
will continue to follow this case. Stick with us as we learn more.
