Investigators described two encounters in a parking lot dispute and what happened after police arrived.
SAVANNAH, GA — New testimony in court is revealing more about a deadly shooting outside a Savannah Target store that investigators say began as an argument in the parking lot and ended with a father of three shot as his wife and children were nearby.
Tyler Edward Linn, 30, is accused of killing Matthew Traywick during a dispute outside the Target on Abercorn Street on Jan. 4. Police and prosecutors have described the case as a confrontation that escalated quickly, and a recent court hearing laid out details from surveillance video, witness statements and a post-arrest interview as the case moves forward.
The shooting happened in the afternoon outside the store in the 14000 block of Abercorn Street. Savannah police have said officers were called to the scene at about 4:10 p.m. and found an adult man suffering from gunshot wounds. Traywick was taken to Memorial Health University Medical Center, where he later died. Linn remained at the scene, according to police, and investigators told the court that he later admitted firing the gun.
At a hearing this month, investigators described what they said were two separate encounters between the men in the parking lot. Detectives testified that Linn was at the store with his wife and stayed in the vehicle while she went inside. Traywick was also at the store with his wife and their three young children. Detectives said the first exchange began as Traywick’s family was getting to their vehicle, and video captured a brief argument through the passenger-side window of Linn’s vehicle. Investigators did not publicly describe the exact words, but they testified the dispute appeared tied to the way the vehicles were positioned and how close they were parked, and that Traywick’s car had been in the spot first.
Detectives said the first exchange ended with the Traywick family driving away. Investigators testified that Traywick returned to the same area less than a minute later, and the second encounter was the one that turned deadly. According to testimony, Target’s surveillance cameras captured parts of the first dispute but did not capture the shooting itself. A detective told the court that Linn got out of the vehicle during the second encounter, pulled out a gun and held it down at his side while the argument continued. The victim had his phone with him, and the detective said he flinched when the gun was shown. The detective testified that the exchange included lines such as, “Are you going to shoot me?” and, “I really don’t want to but you won’t leave me alone.”
Investigators told the court they recovered three shell casings and that Traywick suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Testimony also described conflicting early counts of injuries as first responders assessed the scene, a common issue in fast-moving cases as information is updated. One officer testified that Traywick had been struck several times, including wounds to his back and front, while detectives said physical evidence collected on scene included three casings. An autopsy and toxicology testing were performed, detectives said, and results were being processed through the crime lab at the time of the hearing.
Detectives testified that no gun was found on Traywick or inside the family vehicle. Investigators also told the court that a photo was captured showing the defendant pointing a gun at Traywick. Traywick’s wife was described as the only other adult witness besides the suspect, and detectives said she gave a statement to police. Investigators also testified that Linn’s wife was inside the store when the fatal shots were fired and did not witness the shooting.
Police have said Linn stayed at the scene after the gunfire. Detectives testified that when officers arrived, Linn had dismantled his gun and placed it on the roof of his vehicle. Investigators said Linn called 911 and told officers he shot Traywick. In court, a responding officer testified that Linn signed a Miranda waiver, admitted firing the weapon and agreed to a search of his phone. Search warrants were executed for both Linn’s and Traywick’s phones, detectives said, as investigators worked to document communications, location information and other records tied to the confrontation.
The case has drawn attention in Savannah because of how quickly the encounter turned deadly and because Traywick’s young family was present. Detectives testified that two of the children were under 2 years old and that another child, about 4 or 5, was also there. Prosecutors have described Traywick’s wife as witnessing her husband’s death as she tried to manage the children near the vehicle, a detail that investigators say underscores the close range and public setting of the shooting.
Traywick was identified publicly after the shooting and was remembered by people who knew him as a family man. Local reports described him as a Savannah father of three. In the weeks after his death, friends and supporters raised money to help his wife and children, and public officials issued statements condemning the violence. The shooting also renewed discussion in the community about everyday disputes turning into deadly encounters, especially in busy public areas where families are present.
Linn was arrested in connection with the shooting the day after it occurred, and Savannah police initially announced charges that included murder and aggravated assault. At the later court hearing, detectives testified that Linn was being charged with felony murder and aggravated assault, and that the charges were being bound over to Superior Court for the next stage of the case. Defense attorney Skye Musson was identified in court as representing Linn. Records discussed in the hearing indicated Linn was being held at the Chatham County Detention Center as the case proceeds.
The hearing also highlighted what remains unknown in the public record. Investigators have not released the full surveillance video, the photo described in testimony, or the complete sequence of events during the second encounter. Authorities have not publicly detailed how close the men were when shots were fired, how many shots were fired in total, or whether additional witnesses heard or saw parts of the confrontation beyond what has been described in testimony. Investigators said they reviewed body camera video and continued to collect evidence as the investigation moved forward.
As the case heads to Superior Court, prosecutors are expected to continue building their timeline using video, phone searches, forensics and witness statements. Any future hearings could address issues such as the admissibility of statements, the scope of searches, and the results of autopsy and lab testing. Court scheduling information was not detailed during the public reports of the hearing, but the bind-over step signals the case is moving deeper into the felony court process, where arraignment and additional hearings typically follow.
For now, the latest testimony offers a clearer picture of the moments before the shooting and what investigators say happened right after. Detectives told the court that Linn said he fired because Traywick “wouldn’t leave him alone,” while also indicating Linn did not believe Traywick had a gun. Police said they found no weapon on the victim. Those details, along with the described photo and surveillance footage, are likely to be central as prosecutors and defense attorneys argue what the evidence shows about intent, threat perception and responsibility.
The case remains active, with investigators continuing to process evidence and prosecutors preparing for the next court steps. Linn remains jailed as the Superior Court process begins, and future hearings are expected to address the pending lab results and additional investigative findings.
Author note: Last updated February 16, 2026.