Arrests in death of VSU student Brianna Long

VALDOSTA, Ga. - Two Lowndes County men have been charged with malice murder in connection with the fatal shooting of Brianna Long at a Remerton bar in October 2023, authorities said.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) announced that 23-year-old Tsion Clayton and 21-year-old Kimone Green have been charged in Long’s death. 

The backstory:

In October 2023, a tragic incident occurred at The Pier Bar in Remerton, Georgia, resulting in the deadly shooting of Brianna Long. Long, who was working at the bar, was shot and killed on Oct. 29, 2023. Another employee, a man, was also shot but fortunately recovered from his injuries. The Remerton Police Department quickly sought assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) to help solve the case.

What we know:

The GBI has charged two Lowndes County men, Tsion Clayton, 23, and Kimone Green, 21, with malice murder in connection with Long's death. Both suspects are currently in custody on separate, unrelated cases—one in Georgia and the other in Florida. Investigators believe that Clayton and Green were in Remerton that night searching for another individual linked to an ongoing gang dispute. The Valdosta Police Department’s Crime Scene Unit was involved in processing the scene at the request of Remerton authorities.

What we don't know:

While Clayton and Green have been charged, the investigation is still active and ongoing. Additional charges are expected as the case progresses, but specific details about the gang dispute or the identity of the person Clayton and Green were allegedly searching for have not been disclosed.

Dig deeper:

According to Lowndes County Jail records, Clayton has been arrested three times since 2023, while Green has been booked twice.

What's next:

The GBI and the Remerton Police Department continue to work together on this case. Once the investigation is complete, it will be handed over to the Southern Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for prosecution. Authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward to aid in the investigation.

What you can do:

If you have any information related to this case, you are encouraged to contact the GBI Thomasville Office at 229-225-4090. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or through the See Something, Send Something mobile app. Your assistance could be crucial in bringing justice to Brianna Long and her family.

SEE ALSO:

• Paulding mother mourns loss of daughter’s bright future: VSU student killed by stray bullet
• Death of Brianna Long: $25K reward for shooter who shot, killed VSU student
• Brianna Long: Investigators searching for new leads 3 months after VSU's students killing