Family Struck by Tragedy Again as Aspiring Nurse Is Killed and Twin Sister Injured

Case Overview

A Mississippi family has suffered another heartbreaking loss after a 19-year-old aspiring nurse was fatally shot outside her home, nearly ten years after the family lost another child to gun violence.

Authorities have arrested a suspect in connection with the deadly shooting, which also left two other individuals critically injured. Investigators believe the violence was linked to an ongoing narcotics-related dispute.

Victim Profile

Biography

• Name: NyKel Poole
• Age: 19
• State: Mississippi
• Career Goal: Aspiring nurse
• Education: Recently completed the first phase of a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program

Suspect Profile

Biography

• Name: John Gaddis III
• Age: 34
• Current Status: Arrested and charged with first-degree murder and aggravated assault
• Bond: $2,000,000

Family Background

NyKel Poole’s death marks the second devastating homicide to impact her family.

Her older brother, Ny’Gel Poole, was fatally shot in Gulfport in 2016 at the age of 16. In that case, Kobe Augustine was convicted of second-degree murder and later sentenced to 35 years in prison.

The family is now mourning another child lost to gun violence within a decade.

Incident Details

The shooting occurred on the evening of June 29 in Gulfport, Mississippi.

Police officers responded to reports of gunfire at approximately 8:45 p.m., where they discovered one person deceased and two additional victims suffering from gunshot wounds.

Emergency medical personnel transported the injured victims to a nearby hospital, where both remained in critical condition.

The Harrison County Coroner later confirmed that the deceased victim was 19-year-old NyKel Poole.

According to her family, one of the surviving victims was NyKel’s twin brother, who sustained injuries during the attack.

Investigation

Following the investigation, detectives arrested John Gaddis III on June 30.

Authorities charged him with:

• First-degree murder
• Aggravated assault

Investigators believe the shooting was connected to an ongoing dispute involving illegal narcotics between the suspect and one of the victims.

Officials stated that Gaddis remains in custody at the Harrison County Adult Detention Center under a $2 million bond.

It has not been publicly confirmed whether he has entered a plea or retained legal counsel.

Remembering NyKel Poole

Family members described NyKel as a compassionate and generous young woman whose lifelong ambition was to pursue a career in nursing and help others.

She had recently completed the first stage of her CNA training and was working toward achieving her professional goals before her life was tragically cut short.

Previous Family Tragedy

Nearly a decade earlier, the Poole family buried NyKel’s older brother, Ny’Gel Poole, after he was murdered in Gulfport at just 16 years old.

The latest shooting has once again left the family coping with unimaginable grief following the loss of another child to violent crime.

Key Facts

• Victim: NyKel Poole
• Age: 19
• Location: Gulfport, Mississippi
• Incident Date: June 29
• Suspect: John Gaddis III
• Age: 34
• Charges: First-degree murder and aggravated assault
• Bond: $2,000,000
• Additional Victims: Two people injured, including NyKel’s twin brother
• Investigation Status: Ongoing