Man convicted of Brundidge murder

BRUNDIDGE, Ala. (WAKA) – A man has been convicted of murder in a shooting death that happened in Brundidge in 2022.

Pike County District Attorney James Tarbox said that Zakevin Pennington has been found guilty of killing 21-year-old Jalen Harris. Pennington was 18 years old at the time.

Tarbox said testimony and evidence at trial showed that on June 12, 2022, Harris was at the basketball courts at Galloway Park in Brundidge. Several people were there, and Brundidge Police were called to the scene for disorderly conduct and reports of arguing. After controlling the situation, the police officers left. Shortly after that, shots rang out and Harris was shot and killed.

Tarbox said eyewitness testimony and an investigation determined that Pennington fired nine 9mm rounds from a distance of more than 90 feet toward Harris. Harris was struck in the chest and died at the scene.

Pennington fled Galloway Park and later turned himself in to authorities, Tarbox said.

The jury deliberated for approximately three hours before returning a guilty verdict.

“I am so grateful for the work of the Brundidge Police Department and Deputy District Attorney Jones in prosecuting this case. Because of their hard work, the family of Jalen Harris was able to hear the verdict of ‘guilty’ after waiting almost four years since the death of their loved one,” Tarbox said.

“This case is yet another example of young people resorting to gun violence as a way of solving disagreements. All too often people use firearms in an attempt to solve their problems and the result is now at least two families broken- the family of Jalen Harris because he is no longer with them, and the family of Defendant Pennington because he will be in prison,” he said.

Pennington is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23.

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