MOBILE, Ala. – What was advertised as a “cozy downtown vibe” Airbnb on Helveston Street became a slaughterhouse in the early hours of July 21, 2024.
Mobile Police say officers raced to the 500 block just before 3 a.m. after neighbors reported hearing a rapid burst of gunfire inside the rented home. When they forced entry, they found a scene of carnage: blood trails from the living room to the front porch, shell casings scattered across hardwood floors, and three young men shot.
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Jakoby Royal, a 19-year-old Prichard native known for his quick smile and relentless hustle at a local shipyard, was already dead inside the house.
A second unidentified man, believed to be in his early 20s, died hours later at USA Health University Hospital. A third victim, also in his 20s, underwent emergency surgery and is expected to survive.
Investigators say the shooters – possibly multiple – fled in an unknown vehicle before police arrived. No arrests have been announced and the motive remains unclear, though sources tell WALA the group had rented the house for the weekend and neighbors reported a loud party earlier in the night.
By sunrise, the quiet street was swarming with detectives, crime-scene tape, and grieving relatives. Jakoby’s mother collapsed in the front yard when officers confirmed her son was the one found inside.
“Jakoby was saving every paycheck for his little girl’s first birthday in September,” his aunt told reporters through tears. “He wasn’t in gangs, he wasn’t into trouble. He was just a kid trying to do right.”
The second deceased victim’s name is being withheld pending family notification.
The Airbnb listing has since been removed from the platform. A company spokesperson called the company is “horrified” and cooperating fully with police.
Anyone with video or information about suspicious activity in the area that night is urged to call Mobile PD at 251-208-7211 or text an anonymous tip to 844-251-0644.
Two families are planning funerals instead of summer cookouts, and a third young man is fighting for his life – all because a weekend getaway turned into Mobile’s latest bloodbath.
The investigation is active and ongoing.