Emmanuel Jackson, 20, was fatally shot inside an apartment on Bellows Way in Newport News, Virginia, on the night of January 25, 2026. Jackson, who lived in St. Robert, Missouri, had traveled to help friends move. Police and paramedics responded to a shooting call about 10:46 p.m., found him with a gunshot wound, and he was later pronounced dead at Riverside Regional Medical Center.

Investigators arrested Jaylan Ellis, identified in reports as Jackson’s best friend. Ellis told police Jackson had brought a shotgun from another room, removed the magazine, and handed the weapon to Ellis. Ellis said he reinserted the magazine without checking for ammunition, pointed the shotgun toward Jackson, and the firearm accidentally discharged, striking Jackson in the head. Ellis faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and discharging a firearm in a building or dwelling. Authorities say they are not seeking other suspects.

Are there witnesses or additional details about the sequence of events that anyone in Newport News can share?