A beloved local barber, 37-year-old Berry Tyree Benton, was shot and killed in the early morning hours of June 2, 2025. The shooting happened at about 1:45 a.m. in the parking lot of an American Legion post on Cusseta Road in Columbus, Georgia. Benton suffered a gunshot wound to the chest, was taken to Piedmont Columbus Regional Midtown Campus, and was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The Columbus Police Department’s Violent Crimes Unit opened a homicide investigation. Investigators identified a suspect and the Fugitive Unit located and arrested 44-year-old Nathaniel Gordon, Jr. He was charged with Murder, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and was scheduled for a preliminary hearing.

Benton’s family, friends and clientele described him as skilled with clippers and friendly; his death sent shock through the community. If anyone has information about Benton, the shooting, or the events that night, please come forward to the Columbus Police.