Danville Police arrested Avion Burton Thursday afternoon in Danville on the outstanding warrant for second-degree murder in the death of Jaylan Fitzgerald. Investigators obtained charges on Burton February 4 and he had remained at large since that time.
Investigators tracked Burton to a house in Danville where they arrested him without incident. Burton is being held in the Danville City jail without bond.
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February 4
Investigators charged 19-year-old Danville man, Avion Burton, with second-degree murder for killing Jaylan Fitzgerald. A citizen called 911 Wednesday at about 3:15 p.m. to report a man, later identified as Jaylan Fitzgerald, lying in the 600 block of Cabell Street a gunshot wound. Fitzgerald died at the scene.
Police were met with community support and quickly developed Burton as a suspect.
The investigation led to a house in the 300 block of Bell Drive resulting in a heavy police presence. Police obtained a search warrant for the house and called the SWAT team to make entry. In order to execute that search warrant the safest manner for all those involved, police took an extended amount of time to knock and announce their presence and call the occupants out of the house before the SWAT team entered.
We recognize the trauma that these incidents may cause to our community and we will hold HEART walks in both the Cabell Street and the Bell Drive neighborhoods this afternoon.
Evidence indicates Fitzgerald and Burton knew one another and this was not a random act. Burton remains at large and should be considered armed and dangerous.
Police do not believe Burton acted alone and the investigation is active. We ask that anyone who may have information on this case or Burton’s location to please contact us at 434-793-0000 or use our crime tips app CARE at https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=818#.
