Lisa Klem, Forrest County Deputy Coroner, has identified the victim of the fatal shooting that occurred on Sunday morning, March 5, 2023, as 39-year-old Akera Antionio Franklin from Hattiesburg.
The shooting was reported to Hattiesburg Police just before 3 a.m. on Martin Luther King Avenue, where officers found a male who had been fatally shot.
Following the investigation, police arrested Rodrique Bowman, 21, on charges of first-degree murder and possession of a stolen firearm.
Bowman had a previous relationship with the victim, and the conflict arose from a domestic issue over a woman.
Shantari Carter, Bowman’s sister, was also arrested and charged with hindering prosecution. Both Bowman and Carter are currently detained in Forrest County Jail.
