GBI Arrests Tifton Man in Death Investigation

Tifton, GA (January 30, 2024) – The GBI has charged Xavier Sean Ross, age 34, of Tifton, GA, with felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, in connection to the death of Brendan Rashad Burns, age 33, of Tifton, GA. The Tifton Police Department requested the GBI to investigate.  

The investigation shows that at around 5:30 p.m., officers with the Tifton Police Department were called to the 100 block of West 17th Street, Tifton, GA, in reference to a report of a person being shot. When officers arrived, they found Burns with a gunshot wound. Burns was pronounced dead at the scene. Further investigation revealed that a car stopped at the intersection of West 17th Street and South Central Avenue was also hit by gunfire during the shooting. The occupants of that car were not injured.  

Ross was found at Tift Regional Hospital suffering from a gunshot wound related to this incident. He was transferred to another hospital to be treated for his injuries and will be taken into custody and to the Tift County Jail upon his release from the hospital. 

Burns’ body will be taken to the GBI Crime Lab located in Pooler, GA where a medical examiner will perform an autopsy. 

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Sylvester at 229-777-2080, or the Tifton Police Department at 229-382-3132. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.  

Once the investigation is complete, the case file will be given to the Tift County District Attorney’s Office for review and potential prosecution.