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Dooly: What We Know

By the Undercurrent desk · Published

Video · 3:07 · Watch on YouTube

Two men, Ja'Quavion Aderious Jackson, 21, of Cordele, and Macaleb Malik Jackson, 23, of Hawkinsville, were shot and killed early Oct. 4, 2026, at a homecoming-weekend block party in Vienna, Georgia. On Nov. 5, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) said ten people have been charged; eight face felony murder and related counts, and two of those eight are still wanted. This video explains why Georgia's felony-murder law lets eight people face murder charges for two deaths, and what is still open. Everyone charged is presumed innocent. We don't name anyone who is charged; two of the ten are minors.

What's confirmed

  1. Oct. 4, 2026, about 1:25 a.m.Dooly County deputies were on patrol at a neighborhood block party in Vienna when shots were fired. (GBI release; WALB; AP)
  2. More than 1,000 people were there on homecoming weekend. (AP; WSB-TV)
  3. The GBI says 44 people were hurt28 had gunshot wounds, including the two men who died, and 16 were hurt in other ways. (GBI release, Nov. 5; AJC; WALB)
  4. The two men killed: Ja'Quavion Aderious Jackson, 21, of Cordele, and Macaleb Malik Jackson, 23, of Hawkinsville. (GBI release; coroner via WALB; AJC)
  5. Oct. 14two people were arrested and charged with gang-participation, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and evidence-tampering counts. (GBI release; WSB-TV)
  6. Nov. 5the GBI and the Dooly County Sheriff's Office announced eight more people charged, ten in all, ages 16 to 40. The eight face felony murder, aggravated assault, aggravated battery and participation in criminal street gang activity charges, and most face firearm counts. (GBI release; AJC; WALB; Now Georgia)
  7. Eight of the ten have been arrested. Two are not in custody; the GBI calls them armed and dangerous. (GBI release, Nov. 5)
  8. Georgia law, O.C.G.A. 16-5-1(c)"A person commits the offense of murder when, in the commission of a felony, he or she causes the death of another human being irrespective of malice." Prosecutors do not have to prove intent to kill. (Official Code of Georgia)

What we don't know

  • Who fired the shots that killed Ja'Quavion and Macaleb. The GBI hasn't said.
  • What started the shooting. Investigators haven't said.
  • Court dates. None have been announced.
  • Some early reports gave different spellings of the victims' names and an earlier injury count (35). We use the GBI's spellings and its updated count.

What happens next

  • The GBI says the investigation is active and ongoing. Once it is complete, the case file goes to the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of Georgia for review and prosecution.
  • We'll update this video when there are court dates or new arrests.

Have information?

GBI Perry Regional Office: 478-987-4545 · Anonymous: 1-800-597-TIPS (8477) · https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online

Do not approach anyone the GBI lists as wanted; call 911.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Dooly County homecoming shooting: overview
  2. 0:17Dooly County shooting: what happened Oct. 4
  3. 0:50Dooly County shooting: the two men killed
  4. 1:10Dooly County charges: why 8 face murder
  5. 2:27Dooly County shooting case: where it stands

Sources

  1. Georgia Bureau of Investigation release (Oct. 4, updated Oct. 9, Oct. 14, Nov. 5, 2026) Primary recordgbi.georgia.gov/press-releases/2026-11-05/gbi-investigates-shooting-deaths-dooly-county-ga
  2. Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Nov. 5, 2026) Reportingajc.com/news/2026/11/8-face-murder-charges-in-vienna-georgia-mass-shooting
  3. WALB (Oct. 4, 2026) Reportingwalb.com/2026/10/04/2-dead-multiple-others-injured-mass-shooting-homecoming-party-dooly-county/
  4. WALB (Nov. 5, 2026) Reportingwalb.com/2026/11/05/8-more-charged-deadly-dooly-county-mass-shooting-investigation/
  5. WSB-TV (Oct. 5, 2026) Reportingwsbtv.com/news/local/sheriff-gbi-give-new-details-after-georgia-homecoming-mass-shooting/C3RA43YPWNFXFPRKSDRCQ2D5LU/
  6. Associated Press via NY1 (Oct. 5, 2026) Reportingny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/ap-top-news/2026/10/05/no-arrests-announced-in-shootings-that-killed-2-left-dozens-injured-at-georgia-block-party
  7. Now Georgia (Nov. 6, 2026) Secondarynowgeorgia.com/ten-people-now-charged-with-dooly-county-mass-shooting/
  8. O.C.G.A. 16-5-1 (via FindLaw) Reportingcodes.findlaw.com/ga/title-16-crimes-and-offenses/ga-code-sect-16-5-1/

The record · as of Nov. 11, 2026

How we know

Primary records are court and agency documents; reporting is news coverage we checked against them. How we report.

What happens next

We check these records for changes: GBI release: arrests of the 2 wanted, court dates.

Verified timeline

  1. 2026-10-04About 1:25 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, the GBI says shots were fired at a neighborhood block party in Vienna, Dooly County, GA, while Dooly County deputies were already on patrol there. Homecoming weekend; crowd of more than 1,000 (AP, WSB; AJC says about 1,000). WSB rounds the time to 1:30.GBI release (original, Oct 4); WALB Oct 4; AP via NY1 Oct 5; FOX 5 Oct 9; WSB Oct 5
  2. 2026-10-04Two men were killed: Ja'Quavion Aderious Jackson, 21, of Cordele, and Macaleb Malik Jackson, 23, of Hawkinsville. Identified the same day by the GBI and Dooly County Coroner Brett Walls; autopsies at the GBI Medical Examiner's Office. Day-1 spellings 'JaQuevion/Jaquevion' and 'McCaleb' (sheriff via WSB) are superseded.GBI release (Oct 4 update); WALB Oct 4 (coroner Walls); AP via NY1 Oct 5; AJC Nov 5
  3. 2026-10-04Initial count: 35 injured, condition stable to critical (GBI). Injured ranged in age from 14 to 51 (aggregate only; minors among the injured: never describe individually).GBI release (Oct 4); AP via NY1 Oct 5; WSB Oct 5; FOX 5 Oct 9
  4. 2026-10-04The Dooly County Sheriff's Office asked the GBI to lead the investigation; the GBI held a news conference at the Dooly County Courthouse in Vienna on Oct. 4.GBI release (original + linked YouTube news conference); WALB Oct 4; WSB Oct 5
  5. 2026-10-05No arrests announced as of Oct. 5. GBI Director Chris Hosey: 'We don't want to presume anything as to what caused it' (WSB); GBI spokesperson Sara Lue had no update on a shooter or motive (AP).AP via NY1 Oct 5; WSB Oct 5
  6. 2026-10-09First arrest: the GBI and Dooly County Sheriff's Office arrested a 17-year-old from Dooly County, charged with possession of a handgun under age 18 and participation in criminal street gang activity. Charged only; authorities did not say whether he fired any shot. JUVENILE: never name or use the nickname outlets printed.GBI release (Oct 9 update); FOX 5 Oct 9; AJC Oct 15
  7. 2026-10-14Second and third arrests: two Cordele men, 36 and 40, charged with two counts of participation in criminal street gang activity, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and tampering with evidence (charged only; not named by us). GBI update dated Oct. 14; AJC reported Oct. 15.GBI release (Oct 14 update); WSB Oct 14; AJC Oct 15
  8. 2026-11-05Map places (public, city/agency only): Vienna, GA (Dooly County seat; GBI release + AJC); Dooly County Courthouse, Vienna, site of the Oct 4 and Nov 5 news conferences (WSB Oct 4: 104 2nd St; AJC Nov 5 caption: 'at the county's courthouse'); Cordele (Crisp Co.) and Hawkinsville (Pulaski Co.) as victims' hometowns (GBI + AJC). Never pin Pine Street.GBI release; WSB-TV Oct 4-5; AJC Nov 5
  9. 2026-11-05The GBI and Dooly County Sheriff's Office announced eight more people charged (ages 16 to 34). All eight are charged with felony murder, aggravated assault, aggravated battery and participation in criminal street gang activity; seven also face a firearm count (six 'during the commission of a felony', the 16-year-old 'under the age of 21'); the 34-year-old has no firearm count. Charged only; presumed innocent.GBI release (Nov 5 update); AJC Nov 5; WALB Nov 5
  10. 2026-11-05Total charged = 10 (GBI: 'At this time, 10 people have been charged'). The 17-year-old arrested Oct. 9 was re-charged and is among the eight facing felony murder (AJC; GBI arithmetic 1 + 2 + 8 only reaches 10 that way). So: 8 face felony murder; the 2 Oct. 14 arrestees face gang/felon-gun/tampering counts. Two of the ten are minors (16, 17).GBI release (Nov 5); AJC Nov 5
  11. 2026-11-05Six of the eight are in custody (Crisp, Dooly and Houston county jails); two (ages 19 and 34) are not in custody and the GBI calls them 'armed and dangerous' (do not approach; call 911). We do not name or show them.GBI release (Nov 5); WALB Nov 5; Now Georgia Nov 6
  12. 2026-11-05GBI revised the injury count: 'A total of 44 people were injured.' 28 had gunshot wounds, INCLUDING the two men who died; 16 had other injuries (fleeing/scrambling for cover per WALB/AJC). So 26 surviving gunshot victims; the 44 includes the 2 killed.GBI release (Nov 5); AJC Nov 5; WALB Nov 5; Now Georgia Nov 6
  13. 2026-11-05Assisting agencies include the FBI, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, Georgia State Patrol, Georgia Attorney General's Office and Cordele Judicial Circuit DA's Office. Once complete, the case file goes to the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of Georgia for review and prosecution (the Oct. 4 original release said the Cordele Judicial Circuit DA's Office; no reason given for the change).GBI release (original + Nov 5); Now Georgia Nov 6; WALB Nov 5
  14. 2026-11-05What triggered the shooting has not been released. Sheriff Craig Peavy said some things investigators may know 'we can't release' (AJC). The GBI has not said who fired the shots that killed the two men.AJC Nov 5; WSB Oct 5; GBI release (no attribution of fatal shots in any update)
  15. 2026-11-06As of Nov. 6, 2026: no court dates, bond hearings, indictments, verdicts or sentencings announced. No one has been convicted. Investigation 'active and ongoing'.GBI release (Nov 5); AJC Nov 5; Now Georgia Nov 6; WALB Nov 5

Also in our research file

Updates and corrections

No corrections to this page. Spot an error? corrections@undercurrentdaily.com

Photos: family, via J.W. Williams Funeral Home; Joe Kovac Jr./AJC; Jud McCranie and Michael Rivera / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). Map: U.S. Census TIGER (public domain).

Everyone charged is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. No one has been convicted.

Spot an error? Email corrections@undercurrentdaily.com. See our corrections policy. Have information about this case? Contact the investigating agency first.

Part of What We Know: open cases, confirmed facts only · YouTube playlist

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