Iverson Gilyard, 20, was shot and killed on August 14, 2021, at Linwood Tillis Park on 13th Street in Columbus, Georgia. He sustained seven gunshot wounds in the incident. Investigators arrested a 16-year-old male and the youth was indicted as an adult on murder, aggravated assault, and weapon-possession charges.

Surveillance footage and witness accounts introduced during the investigation reportedly showed Gilyard striking the teenager with the butt of a gun, demanding his belongings, placing his weapon in his waistband, and beginning to walk away before the teen fired. The District Attorney moved to dismiss the charges, arguing Gilyard was committing serious violent felonies at the time. In August 2022 a Muscogee County Superior Court Judge dismissed all charges, finding the teen justified in using deadly force under Georgia’s stand your ground statute.

Gilyard’s mother disputed the self-defense account, saying her son had put his gun away, was shot in the back while leaving, and was then shot additional times at point-blank range after he was on the ground. Does anyone have information or witnessed the events at Linwood Tillis Park that afternoon?