Police say a father of three died after an argument over a parking space turned violent.
SAVANNAH, GA — A man was shot and killed Sunday in the parking lot of a Target on Savannah’s Abercorn Street after an argument over a parking space, police said. Officers detained a 30-year-old suspect at the scene and later booked him on murder and aggravated assault charges.
Authorities identified the victim as Matthew Traywick, a husband and father to three young children. The killing has prompted an ongoing homicide investigation and renewed attention on tempers flaring in crowded shopping centers during the post-holiday rush. Police say the confrontation unfolded shortly after 4 p.m. on Jan. 4 in the 14000 block of Abercorn Street. The suspect, identified by police as Tyler Edward Linn, remained at the scene and was arrested without further incident. The district attorney’s office says the case has moved beyond an initial appearance and is headed to Superior Court, where felony charges are prosecuted.
Officers were called around 4 p.m. Sunday to reports of gunfire in the Target parking lot. When they arrived, they found Traywick suffering from gunshot wounds near parked cars and shopping cart corrals, according to police. Emergency medical crews took him to Memorial Health University Medical Center, where he later died. Investigators believe the shooting began as a dispute over a parking spot outside the store’s entrance. Linn, 30, was taken into custody at the scene. “No disagreement should cost a life,” Savannah Mayor Van Johnson said, calling the violence “senseless.” Detectives interviewed witnesses and reviewed store-area cameras as part of the early case work, police said.
Officials said Traywick worked for Vaden Automotive and was well known among coworkers and customers. Police have not released his age publicly, but family members described him as a young father and a steady provider. Authorities said Linn served in the U.S. Army from 2015 to 2023 and was stationed at Hunter Army Airfield during part of his service. Jail records show Linn is being held at the Chatham County Detention Center on counts of murder and aggravated assault. Police have not said whether the two men knew each other before the confrontation. Investigators also have not detailed how many shots were fired or who called 911. By midweek, a fundraiser organized by friends for Traywick’s wife, Micayla, and their three children had raised more than $85,000, organizers said.
The Target sits along a busy stretch of Abercorn Street lined with big-box stores and restaurants. On Sunday, the lot was full of shoppers returning holiday gifts or picking up household items. Witnesses told police the argument started with words exchanged over a space near the front, then escalated quickly. Several customers ducked behind cars as shots rang out. Employees ushered people inside and locked the doors while officers secured the lot, according to initial accounts collected by detectives. Memorials of flowers and notes began appearing near a light pole by Monday afternoon, as neighbors and coworkers stopped to reflect on the loss.
After an initial appearance in Recorder’s Court, the case was transferred to Chatham County Superior Court, where felony proceedings continue. A Superior Court date is set for Jan. 29. Prosecutors have not indicated whether they will present the case to a grand jury before that date. Bond status was not immediately available. Police said they will continue to collect surveillance video, process shell casings and other evidence, and interview additional witnesses. The medical examiner will finalize autopsy findings, which could be referenced in upcoming court filings. Authorities said any further charging decisions, including potential enhancements, will be made as the investigation develops.
At the scene Monday, shoppers spoke in hushed tones and moved around yellow tape that still marked the area where officers worked the day before. “It breaks your heart. He had little kids,” said Denise Carter, who lives nearby and often shops at the store. A Vaden Automotive manager said Traywick was known for his patience with customers and his willingness to help coworkers. “He was steady, kind, and thoughtful,” the manager said. Outside City Hall, Johnson called on residents to support the family as they grieve. A friend who set up the fundraiser wrote that the money would help cover funeral costs and household bills while the family steadies itself in the weeks ahead.
As of Monday, police had not released a fuller timeline of the argument or said whether any weapons beyond the shooter’s handgun were recovered. Detectives are expected to brief prosecutors again ahead of the Jan. 29 Superior Court session, when scheduling decisions and procedural motions could be set. The Target store returned to normal hours with added security presence, and the memorial in the lot continued to grow through the afternoon.
Author note: Last updated January 12, 2026.