Operation Hurricane Leads to Arrest in West Palm Beach Homicide
Published on July 09, 2026
Operation Hurricane Leads to Arrest in West Palm Beach Homicide
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (July 9, 2026) — The West Palm Beach Police Department has arrested 31-year-old Jarvis Lee Williams and charged him with second-degree murder with a firearm and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon following an investigation into a fatal shooting in May.
At approximately 10:20 p.m. on May 9, officers responded to the area of the 500 block of 15th St. after ShotSpotter detected multiple rounds of gunfire. Officers found an adult man suffering from a gunshot wound and immediately rendered life-saving aid. Despite their efforts, the victim died from his injuries.
Detectives quickly began gathering evidence, reviewing surveillance video and developing investigative leads. Their investigation led to the identification of a suspect vehicle, and a be-on-the-lookout alert was issued to surrounding law enforcement agencies. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office later located the vehicle and detained two individuals for questioning, including Williams.
As the investigation continued, detectives determined the shooting overlapped with Operation Hurricane, a federal violent crime initiative led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Ballistics testing confirmed that a firearm Williams sold during the operation matched shell casings recovered from the homicide scene, leading to the charges against him.
Earlier today, U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida, joined by federal and local law enforcement partners, announced the results of the two-month, multi-agency enforcement initiative targeting repeat violent offenders in Palm Beach County.
Launched in May by the ATF Miami Field Division, Operation Hurricane was designed to combat violent crime and disrupt the illegal possession and trafficking of firearms throughout South Florida. The initiative brought together federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, with ATF personnel from across the country providing tactical, technical and undercover investigative support.
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Rachel Leitão
Public Information Officer
pdpio@wpb.org