On the night of May 21, 2022, Jordan Gaston, 29, was fatally shot inside the Eupora Discount Store on West Roane Avenue in Eupora, Mississippi. The shooting occurred about 11:45 p.m. following a verbal dispute over a cellphone. Officers responding to reports of shots fired found Gaston unresponsive on the store floor with multiple gunshot wounds.

Gaston was a counselor at Winona Secondary School, a U.S. Veteran, and had recently earned a doctorate in education. He was remembered as a person who could light up a room and who was dedicated to students and staff. The investigation led to the identification and arrest of 26-year-old Joshua Oats; a 9mm handgun was recovered at the scene.

Witnesses at trial said the confrontation had been verbal and that Gaston was unarmed; the defense argued self-defense. A jury convicted Oats of manslaughter and he was sentenced on January 12, 2024, to 20 years in prison. Anyone with information about Gaston, the night of May 21, 2022, or the events at the store is asked to come forward.