Savannah police shot and killed 27‑year‑old Mark Dennis Whibbey Jr. Thursday afternoon after multiple 911 calls reported a man carrying a gun in the heart of the city’s historic Plant Riverside District. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is leading the review of what unfolded on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Bay Street, a busy corner near the Riverwalk.
Officers were dispatched around 1:30 p.m. after two separate calls: one about a man waving a firearm outside a business on West Congress Street, and the other about shoplifting with a gun near a convenience store. Responding officers found Whibbey, later identified as a resident of Seabrook, South Carolina, and tried to engage him with repeated commands to drop the weapon.
Video from witnesses and surveillance shows Whibbey holding what appeared to be a gun and walking north toward the Riverwalk, a popular area for residents and tourists. Officers attempted to use a taser, but it did not subdue him. At one point, he paced with the firearm at his side before moving in the direction of civilians and law enforcement.
According to the GBI, Whibbey reached toward his waistband with his left hand while the gun stayed in his right. That moment prompted five Savannah police officers to fire on him. He was struck multiple times and later pronounced dead at the scene. Medical help was provided immediately. No officers were hurt.
Witnesses said they heard between five and six shots after Whibbey disappeared from direct view. Some onlookers described the scene as chaotic, with people ducking for cover as officers tried to manage what had quickly turned into a dangerous situation in a public place.
Records obtained by local outlets show Whibbey was listed as homeless in Savannah and had a history of encounters with police, including arrests for trespassing, obstruction and shoplifting. Sources familiar with the case said he had been released from custody just one day before the deadly confrontation, and that Plant Riverside staff recognized him from previous incidents.
The GBI has taken over the investigation, as required by Savannah Police Department policy whenever an officer discharges a firearm. Whibbey’s body is expected to be examined by the medical examiner’s office in Pooler, with the full case file set to go to the Eastern Judicial Circuit district attorney once the inquiry wraps up. Authorities have urged the public not to speculate while evidence is still being gathered.
Savannah Police stress there is no ongoing danger to the public, and they reminded the community about safety and the importance of reporting emergencies. Officials say they will release more information as the investigation progresses and once all facts are verified.
