Victim At Boat Dock Was Chattanoogan Jonathan Shanks

  • Friday, October 18, 2002

The man found shot to death at the Charleston boat dock on Thursday morning has been identified as 20-year-old Jonathan Victor Shanks of Davidson Road in Chattanooga.

Bradley County investigators are treating the incident as a homicide.

Authorities said a young couple walking their dog found a male lying on the ground near the boat ramp about 6:30 a.m.

They tried to wake him up, but could not. They then called 911.

Officers who arrived on the scene found that the man had a gunshot wound to the head.

A holster was found nearby. Authorities were expected to send divers into the water to seek to determine if a gun was thrown there.

The body was sent for an autopsy.

The victim was a lifelong resident of Chattanooga, a student at Chattanooga State and was employed with Longhorn Restaurants.

Survivors include his mother, Susan Shanks, Chattanooga; father, Charles V. Shanks, Cleveland, Tenn.; brother, Christopher Nicholaus Shanks, Chattanooga; and half brother, Sammy Shanks, Cleveland.

The family will receive friends Sunday 4-7 p.m. at Heritage Funeral Home, East Brainerd Road.

Memorials made be made to Chattanooga Cares, 620 Lindsay St., Chattanooga, TN 37403.

Anyone with information or knowledge about the case is asked to call Detective Lieutenant Roxanne Blackwell at the Bradley County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Division, 423 476-0663.


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