Statesboro, Georgia – A tragic incident at Smith State Prison has raised serious questions about safety protocols and oversight within the facility. Aureon Shavea Grace, a 24-year-old food service worker and recent Statesboro High School graduate, was fatally shot by inmate Jaydrekus Hart in June 2024. Hart subsequently took his own life.
Grace had been employed by Aramark at the prison kitchen for less than five months when the fatal shooting occurred. Authorities revealed that Grace and Hart had a personal relationship, and a note apparently written by Hart was discovered after the incident. The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) reported Hart, 34, was serving a 20-year sentence for voluntary manslaughter at the time of the shooting and was ineligible to be in the kitchen where the incident unfolded.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Grace’s mother, Deshonda Hagins, filed a lawsuit in Fulton County State Court alleging that prison officials failed to act despite warnings about the presence of a firearm within the facility. According to the lawsuit, multiple inmates informed GDC officials about the weapon, yet no lockdown was initiated, no comprehensive search was conducted, and no security measures were implemented.
Hagins expressed her distress over learning about her daughter’s death from other inmates rather than from prison staff or Grace’s employer. “It’s horrifying to think what’s going on in these prisons,” said attorney Brent Savage, representing Grace’s family. He emphasized the lack of guards present at the time of the shooting and the dangers posed to both inmates and employees within the corrections system.
The lawsuit seeks a jury trial and an unspecified amount in damages. Meanwhile, the GDC has declined to comment on the ongoing legal proceedings.
Reports indicate that Georgia’s prisons continue to face significant challenges with violence and homicides, exacerbated by a severe shortage of correctional officers. With even correctional staff prohibited from carrying weapons within the facilities, the risks to workers and inmates remain high.
Hagins, who has previous experience with the GDC, believes that this incident should serve as a critical wake-up call for those responsible for ensuring safety in the state’s correctional system. She described her daughter as a nurturing figure who had always looked after her siblings, providing them with unconditional support.
In her heartfelt remarks, Hagins recounted how Grace transitioned from daughter to best friend as she matured, attributing much of her parenting skills to Grace’s influences. “She was a wonderful mother to her kids, a great sister, and an exceptional daughter,” Hagins said, visibly emotional. “I don’t wish this pain on anyone.”
As investigations continue into how the firearm entered the prison, the tragic loss of Aureon Shavea Grace underscores pressing concerns surrounding safety protocols in Georgia’s correctional facilities.
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