A newly-released photo offers the first heartbreaking glimpse of three-year-old Bryson Lamont Murray, the victim of a shooting that shook an Augusta neighborhood last week.
With his bright smile and shining eyes, Bryson’s image has now become the face of a growing call for justice and healing, as his family mourns a devastating and senseless loss.
The photo appears on a GoFundMe page created to support Bryson’s family in the wake of the Aug. 20 shooting, which claimed the toddler’s life as he slept inside his home. In the same attack, Bryson’s mother, Cherrelle Murray, was shot three times. She survived but faces a long, painful road to recovery, physically, emotionally, and financially. The fundraiser, organized by Andrew Benjamin on her behalf, describes a mother left shattered, a family reeling, and a community searching for answers.
Bryson, remembered by his loved ones as joyful, loving, and full of life, was the youngest of three siblings. His death has left a profound hole in the lives of his mother, sister Shaniya, and brother Dontrey.
“His smile lit up every room he entered,” the GoFundMe page reads, echoing the words of those who knew him best. Donations are being collected to help cover funeral and memorial costs, Cherrelle’s medical expenses, and support for the surviving children as they attempt to rebuild some sense of stability.
According to law enforcement, the shooting occurred after an argument at the home escalated into violence. Authorities allege that Carl Bain Gant III, a convicted felon prohibited from owning a firearm, opened fire from outside the home after a dispute involving his girlfriend and others inside. Gunfire tore through the back of the house, striking Bryson as he slept and wounding Cherrelle.
Gant has since been arrested and charged with murder, aggravated assault, and multiple firearm-related offenses.
For the Murray family, the grief is raw and immediate. The fundraiser, now circulating widely online, has become not only a practical source of support but a place for collective mourning.
