Deonte Jerrell James, 23, was found shot and pronounced dead in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in the late evening of August 8, 2017. Officers responding to a report of a suspicious vehicle discovered James inside; paramedics pronounced him deceased at the scene. A lifelong Chattanooga resident and a 2012 graduate of Brainerd High School where he played drums, he was a father to a young son and is survived by his wife, parents, and numerous siblings.

James had been a validated gang member and had survived a previous chest wound nearly two years before his death. Funeral services were held August 16, 2017, and he was buried at Forest Hills Cemetery. The Chattanooga Police Department has not identified or arrested any suspects, and who fired the fatal shots remains unknown.

Does anyone have information that could help bring answers to his family?