×

Parents of murdered JSU student left without answers

By Sethanie Smith Nov 14, 2023 | 4:23 PM

JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Following the release of a second suspect in the shooting death of a Jackson State University (JSU) student, Jaylen Burns‘ family is still without answers.

Jamison Kelly, Jr., the alleged getaway driver, was discharged with no bond on Monday, November 13 after being arrested in October.

Investigators said the fatal shooting happened at the University Pointe Apartment Complex on JSU’s campus on Sunday, October 15. According to Burns’ father, his son was trying to stop a fight when his life was cut short. Burns was an industrial technology major from Chicago, Illinois.

The Burns family said they have had very limited communication from JSU throughout the course of the investigation. They said the JSU Police Department did not notify them when Joshua Brown, the first suspect, was released.

University officials said Brown’s charges were not withdrawn by the JSU Department of Public Safety.

The family said they have been relying on local Jackson media to get information about the case.

“Nope, we saw it on, we saw it on YouTube. YouTube, Facebook. We started tracking the TV stations down in Mississippi, because we really don’t get them here in Chicago, and we pretty much were like just following up on everything ourselves. I mean, my husband made a couple of calls, and no calls came back. He finally gets a text that, ‘Hey, you know, it’s going to be a preliminary hearing on Monday,’ which we already know from watching the news,” said Siobhan and Jason Burns.

WJTV 12 News reached out to JSU regarding their investigation and communication with the Burns family.

“Jackson State University Department of Public Safety Officials have been in constant communication with the Burns family – his biological mother and father – regarding the Burns case,” said JSU officials.