Civilian Gun Self-Defense Blog

Suspect shot during robbery

The Ellisville Police Department is investigating a Tuesday morning robbery that left one of the suspects wounded.

Police arrested Ronald Hinton, 18, of Richton, Thomas Hardy, 22, and Matthew King, 19, both of Ellisville.

Investigator Christy Carona said the three men broke into the storage home of Jack Busby on the 200 block of Cleveland Street and attempted to take two air-conditioning units.

She said Busby found the men and held them at gunpoint until police arrived. Busby later shot King in the lower back after he attempted to flee the scene.

Carona said King was transported to South Central Regional Medical Center's emergency room where he was treated and released.

All three men were charged with grand larceny and taken to the Jones County Adult Detention Center on a $5,000 bond each.

Carona said King has made bond and that the other men remained at the detention center.

Labels: MS, residence robbery

Property owner shoots at scrap metal thieves

Warren County Sheriff's deputies were investigating an attempted theft that led to one person being shot, said Sheriff Martin Pace.

A man who owns property on Standard Hill off Sherman Avenue saw two people, who had been dropped off by a third person, in the process of stealing scrap metal off his land. The property owner shot in their direction, which caused them to run off, and grabbed the driver of the vehicle. While he held the driver at gunpoint and waited for deputies to arrive, 911 received a report of a person having been shot in the leg on Sherman Avenue.

"Although the person who was shot is not admitting to trying to take the metal, it's clearly going to be related," Pace said.

What appears to be a bullet hole was also found in the vehicle, which has been impounded and will be part of the investigation. Pace said this morning that no one had been arrested, but deputies will retrieve statements from all who were involved and present them to District Attorney Ricky Smith, who then will determine if any charges will be filed against either the suspects or the property owner.

Labels: MS, trespassing

Jackson Store Clerk Shoots Man Attempting Robbery

A man attempting to rob a Jackson store clerk gets more than he bargained for when the would-be victim decides to fight back.

James Nichols was closing up for the day when the incident happened at the All American Check Exchange on Suncrest Drive in south Jackson.

Nichols says an armed man wearing a hood confronted him as was about to get into his truck to head home around 6:30 Friday night.

But Nichols was prepared to protect himself.

"I pulled my gun and he started hollering no don't, and I tried to knock the gun away so that it wouldn't be pointed at me and I fired three times."

Nichols says the suspect then dropped his weapon and ran away. Witnesses tell police the man left in a gold Toyota sedan.

Now police are trying to determine if a man being treated for gunshot wounds at the University Medical Center is the same person that Nichols shot.

Investigators were unable to question him because he was listed in critical condition.

Nichols says he's not sure how many times he may have struck the assailant.

But Nichols says because crime is so common, he never goes anywhere unarmed.

"I hope it doesn't happen again but I will be prepared again if it does."

Labels: business robbery, MS

Teen set free in shooting death

A Jackson 19-year-old who said he shot and killed a man who had constantly bullied and robbed him is free of a murder charge after a Hinds County grand jury didn't indict him.

Kentarus Christmas was released from the Hinds County Detention Center late Tuesday.

Christmas was charged with murder in the Nov. 10 shooting death of Michael Smith, 21, of Jackson outside a business off East Fortification Street.

"The Lord was working with me. He knew that I wasn't some troubled child out there doing wrong. He stood behind me," Christmas said Tuesday after being released from jail.

But Smith's grandmother, Luezina Smith, said the grand jury's decision not to indict Christmas sends the message that, "If you're afraid, you can go out and kill someone."

Luezina Smith said Christmas should face a murder charge in her grandson's death.

"He shot him down from behind and stood over him and shot him more times," Luezina Smith said.

During Christmas' preliminary hearing in December, his attorney, Assistant Public Defender Matthew Eichelberger, called Michael Smith a thug and said his client deserved a key to the city instead of being in handcuffs.

"This is great news. I'm overjoyed for Ken and his family, and I'm proud of the people of Hinds County for recognizing this for what it was - justifiable homicide," Eichelberger said Tuesday. "Now Ken can go on with his life, free of harassment from both the justice system and Michael Smith."

Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith confirmed Tuesday that Christmas wasn't indicted.

Robert Shuler Smith, no relationship to Michael Smith, said he doesn't know why the grand jury didn't indict Christmas but said the grand jury probably took into consideration Smith's criminal history of robbing people.

"I couldn't imagine the grand jury wouldn't take that into consideration," Robert Shuler Smith said.

Jackson police Detective Amos Clinton said he didn't want to call Smith a thug but said police had had run-ins with him.

...


Police said Christmas voluntarily gave a statement confessing to shooting Smith but said there had been an ongoing situation in which Smith had repeatedly robbed and bullied him.

Christmas was apprehended while fleeing the scene the night Smith was shot.

A 9-mm handgun was recovered. Smith, who was shot multiple times, later died at Baptist Medical Center.

Christmas told police Smith had approached him at a barbershop near where the shooting occurred and demanded money. When he told him he didn't have any money, Smith reportedly told him he needed to have someone bring him money.

Christmas told police he followed Smith out of the barbershop door and shot him.

"He said if he didn't do something, the bullying would continue," Clinton testified in Christmas' preliminary hearing.

Labels: altercation, MS

Teen kills intruder in county's 1st homicide of the year

A teen shot and killed a home intruder Sunday night, stopping a theft in progress and sending the intruder's accomplices scurrying, said Sheriff Martin Pace.

Found dead in front of a mobile home in South Warren County was Jonathan Bruce, 21, 3341 Sunnybrook Drive in Jackson, said Coroner Doug Huskey.

Bruce had been shot once with a .410 shotgun and had stumbled out of the mobile home, Pace said.

The teen, who was not identified, was not arrested or charged. Pace said details of the investigation will be presented to the district attorney, but it appeared the shooting -- Warren County's first homicide of the year -- will be deemed justifiable.

Pace said the adults who lived in the home where Bruce was shot made a living as street vendors. He said Bruce and two other men had forced their way into the mobile home at 25 Red Oak Drive about 7 p.m. after inquiring about purchasing shoes. The teen and several other juveniles were alone when the trio entered.

Pace said after the men got inside, they started "loading up merchandise" until the teen got a shotgun and fired it at Bruce, who had a handgun in his pocket. After being shot, Bruce turned and walked out onto the lawn, where he was found when deputies arrived. The other men fled in a sedan.

Pace said Warren County officers were working with counterparts in the Jackson Police Department to identify Bruce's companions, said to have been in a white sedan without a tag.

The City of Vicksburg recorded 10 homicides in 2007. Until the next-to-the-last night of the year, Warren County outside Vicksburg had recorded none.

Labels: MS, residence robbery

Store clerk shoots armed robber

A convenience store clerk surprised an armed robber Monday when he shot the man in the arm, leading to his surrender a short time later, Pascagoula Police Lt. Paul Leonard said.

The clerk at the K&B store on Telephone Road told authorities that a robber, identified as 21-year-old Jason Fairley of Moss Point, walked into the store with a handgun at about 6:25 a.m. Monday, fired a round in the air and demanded cash.

The clerk handed the money over to the robber, who walked out in the store's parking lot and raised his gun once again, police said, as if he planned to fire again.

That's when the store clerk pulled out his own gun and fired at the robber, hitting him once in the left shoulder. The robber ran to his car to escape, but the clerk took down a description of his getaway car and the tag number.

Two hours later, Leonard said, the wounded Fairley walked into the Police Department and surrendered. From there, he was taken to Singing River Hospital, where he was treated and released.

By late Monday, Fairley was back in custody at the Pascagoula City jail, charged with armed robbery. He was awaiting bond.

Further links:
Store owner shoots armed robber

Store owner had eye on robber before shooting him

Labels: business robbery, MS

Police investigate carjacking, shooting near Olive Branch

Police are investigating a carjacking that lead to a chase and a shooting Monday afternoon near Olive Branch, Mississippi.

The shooting happened in an area near the intersection of State Line Road and Riverdale Road in Olive Branch, Mississippi.

Investigators said 71-year-old Bobbie Gray was unloading groceries in the driveway of her south Shelby County home when a man approached her with a shotgun, demanding her car.

"He just walked up behind me as I was taking the groceries out and stuck the gun at me and demanded the keys," Gray said. "There was nothing I could do and I started screaming and I was surprised he didn't shoot me for screaming."

Gray's son Keith, who was inside her house, came outside when he heard the altercation.

Seeing the carjacker pulling out of the driveway in his mother's car, Keith jumped into his own car and followed the man. The pair traveled nearly three miles during the brief chase.

While driving, the suspect pulled a gun on Keith, who was also carrying a gun. He fired at the suspect.

The carjacker veered off into a field, with Keith in pursuit. There, both men jumped out of their vehicles.

Keith approached the carjacker with his gun drawn and ordered the man to stay still. When the carjacker moved, Keith again fired on the man.

"That's when the son confronted the suspect and said to stay put," said Shelby County Sheriff's Department Spokesperson Steve Shular. "The suspect did not do that. The suspect kept getting up and that's when the son fired twice, hitting the suspect in the leg."

The victim was transported to a local hospital.

Marshall Gray, Bobbie's husband and Keith's father, warned others to be cautious.

"Pass the word on," he said. "You never know the next person you're going to carjack may have a gun bigger than yours in their car."

"What he did, I knew he would. He was trying to protect me," Bobbie Gray added.

Keith Gray is licensed to carry a gun in Mississippi, but not in Tennessee.

Officials said they were still working out who would be in charge of the investigation into the incident.

Labels: carjacking, concealed carry permit, MS

Police Say Would-Be Robber Shot, Hospitalized

A would-be robber was hospitalized early Sunday morning after his alleged victim shot him multiple times, Jackson police said.

Jerriod Peters knocked on the door of a home on McKee Street at about 5:30 a.m., officers said. But when the homeowner answered, he apparently took the handgun from the [sic] Peters and shot him.

Peters is listed in critical condition at University Medical Center.

The homeowner hasn't been charged in the shooting.

man shot in alleged robbery dies


The latest in a spate of suspected criminals to encounter an armed Jackson resident died Monday morning.

Jerriod Peters, 21, was the second man to die in just over two weeks after being shot during an apparent botched robbery.

Police haven't released the name of the man who shot Peters. They've said the man reported Peters knocked on his door, in the 300 block of McKee Street, about 5:30 a.m. Sunday.

Peters and the homeowner had guns, and they exchanged fire. Peters was hit multiple times and died shortly after midnight at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

Hinds County Coroner Sharon Grisham-Stewart said autopsy results are pending.

No one in the neighborhood would talk about the incident on Monday. Several men outside the duplex where it happened said they knew nothing about the shooting.

Labels: criminal's gun taken away and used against him, MS, residence robbery

Police: Jackson homeowner shoots, kills man during robbery attempt

A homeowner shot and killed a man who he said was trying to rob him early this morning, police said.

Jackson police Sgt. Jeffery Scott said two men tried to rob a homeowner in the 4900 block of Rosehaven Drive, near Clinton Boulevard and Dixon Road about 1 a.m.

The homeowner, whom police did not identify, retrieved a gun and fired one shot.

Hinds County Coroner Sharon Grisham-Stewart said Kenneth Stewman, 20, of Jackson died at the scene. He suffered a single gunshot wound to the chest.

The second alleged robber escaped. Police had no specific description of him or any getaway car.

Homeowner Will Not Face Charges for Fatal Shooting

Tonight WLBT news has uncovered new information about a deadly encounter early this morning in west Jackson.

A homeowner shot a man who he said was attempting to rob him. 20- year old Kenneth Stewman was killed around 1 a.m.

According to police a homeowner on Rosehaven Drive was approached by two armed men. The unidentified homeowner retrieved a gun and opened fire, killing Stewman. Today, he declined to talk with us about the fatal shooting.

We have learned, the suspected robber lived less than a block away. A family member says, the Hinds Community College student would never rob his neighbor. The crime victim and robber knew each other.

"He probably acted on impulse. We've seen some strange faces around here lately, so we really don't know and at night time I guess you really can't distinguish if you really know somebody," says Kenya Stewman, Sister.

Stewman's grieving sister said police have not talked with the family about the incident. The search for a second man continues. According to investigators, the unidentified homeowner will not face any charges.

Labels: MS, residence robbery

Jackson Homeowner Shoots At Would-Be Burglars

Students at McLeod Elementary School were on lockdown Friday afternoon as police searched for two men involved in an attempted home invasion.

Homeowner Fredrico Hamblin said he saw a car in his neighborhood most of the morning, passing in front of his Riverwood Drive house several times.

The two men tried to get into his home through the garage, Hamblin said, so he opened fire, shooting five or six times.

Hamblin said he thinks he hit one of the men. A stray bullet hit a neighbor's car.

"I was just trying to get them away from my home. I shot five or six times. One of them dove over the car. I think that's when I shot him," he said.

Both men ran into a wooded area; police found one of the men about a half-hour later behind the Mississippi Basketball Association Complex.

Police used a helicopter and dogs to search for the other man, and nearby McLeod Elementary was put on lockdown.

A constable arrested another person believed to be the driver for the two men nearby.

Police said Hamblin will not face charges related to this shooting because he was protecting his home.

Gunshots deter break-ins

Jackson residents fend off invaders

There were similarities in two attempted burglaries in Jackson on Friday.

The residents of both homes were watching television when the alleged suspects were caught in the act. And in both cases, the suspects were fired on.

Around 7 p.m., Patricia Parker, 53, who lives in the back of the duplex at 420 Barksdale St., said she was watching Wheel of Fortune when she heard her boyfriend calling her name from outside.

"I opened the door and this dude was laying on the porch," she said. "Otis was over him with a knife. I said, 'Otis, let that man go on.' "

Instead, her boyfriend, whom Parker would identify as Otis, went back into the duplex to retrieve a pistol to further convince the man to leave. But as her boyfriend made his way back to the porch, the man slipped past him and into Parker's home.

Otis followed the man into a back bedroom and fired shots, she said, and he continued to shoot at the man as he ran away.

Precinct 2 police found the suspect running down President Street toward Baptist Medical Center. He was wounded at least once in the right leg.

Sgt. Eric Smith said the man may have been trying to break into the back of the home to steal an air-conditioning unit.

The man, whom police have not identified, was being treated at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Neither Parker nor her boyfriend was charged, but police did take the boyfriend in for questioning.

And about 1 p.m. Friday, Fredrico Hamblin was at home at 1715 Riverwood Drive in northeast Jackson, watching SportsCenter when he heard rustling in his garage.
"It was too obvious," he said of the attempt to burglarize his home. "They stuck out like a sore thumb."

He said he chased the burglars away, firing five or six shots at them. It was unknown Friday evening if he hit hit either of them.

Within moments of the attempted burglary, which coincided with Hamblin's 28th birthday, police had two men in custody and were searching nearby woods for a third.

"The homeowner did a good job," Jackson Police Cmdr. Ron Sampson said.

(Much More)

Man who shot at burglars arrested for gun possession

A Jackson man who shot at two teenagers trying to break into his home has been arrested by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Fredrico Hamblin was not charged for defending his property, but instead was charged as a felon being in possession of a gun, Jackson Police Department spokesman Sgt. Jeffery Scott said.

Jackson police did not aid in the arrest Friday.

The details of Hamblin’s previous felony conviction was not known.

During Friday’s execution of the arrest warrant, Scott said a large sum of money and narcotics were seized at the home at 1715 Riverwood Drive.

Oji Khanyyan, 17, and Christopher Ross, 18, were arrested for attempted house burglary for trying to break into Hamblin’s home two weeks ago. Neither were injured.

Labels: home invasion, minor offender, MS

Homeowner Defends Home

Patricia Parker was home watching Wheel of Fortune on televsion Friday night. She says just before 7pm she heard her live in boyfriend Otis yell out her name. She says... at that point, she knew something was wrong.

"He said, Tricia, Just like that. He said Tricia and I knew something was wrong."

When Patricia walked outside she realized that her boyfriend was holding a knife aimed at a man lying on their back porch. Patricia belives the man was trying to steal their air conditioner, and that Otis caught him in the act. She says Otis was so frustrated, he went into the house to get his gun. Instead of taking that opportunity to flee, the suspect ran into the house after Otis.

Patricia says at that point, things seemed to get out of hand.

"I said Otis, please don't shoot that man, please don't shoot him. But he shot twice. "

The suspect eventually ran out of the home, with Otis hot on his trial. He was struck at least twice, buy bullets in Otis' gun. Police found the suspect running down State Street, apparently trying to get to a nearby hospital.

Otis was taken away in handcuffs, though police say he probably won't face any charges. The suspect is recovering at a local hospital. He will likely end up in handcuffs once he is released from the hospital.

Labels: MS, residence burglary

Man shoots teen, nabs 2 in his house

A 16-year-old required treatment for a gunshot wound Monday night after a resident in the 1500 block of 20th Street fired a gun and chased suspected burglars out of his house, police said.

The man didn't realize he'd shot anyone and thought all four suspects had fled, but when he re-entered his house he found two of them hiding inside, said Deputy Police Chief Alfred Sexton. The homeowner held the others at gunpoint until police arrived.

The incident was reported to police at 8:49 p.m. The homeowner, whose name was withheld, told police he was home alone when he heard noises coming from another part of the house, said Sexton.

The wounded Gulfport teen's condition wasn't available Tuesday, but police said he was released to his parents pending medical treatment and a Youth Court hearing.

The two found inside the man's home are 14 and 15 and also live in Gulfport, police said.

Police were trying to identify the fourth teenager Tuesday.

Labels: home invasion, MS, residence burglary

Ridgeland clerk, robber exchange gunfire

Ridgeland police are searching for a man who opened fire on a store clerk during an attempted armed robbery Wednesday night.

Just after dark, a man entered the North Park Package Store at 134 Dyess Road, and pointed a gun at a clerk, Ridgeland Police Department Lt. John Neal said.

The clerk then pulled out a gun and pointed it at the robber, he said.

It is unclear who shot first, but both the robber and clerk fired shots at each other, Neal said. Neither was hit.

The suspect fled the scene empty-handed in a tan sedan.

Labels: business robbery, MS

Wounded man faces charges

A man Jackson County deputies found shot in the stomach Saturday has been charged with burglary and attempted aggravated as-sault.

Deputies responded to call at 4317 Knowlcrest drive in reference to a possible intruder, according to a news release from Jackson County Sheriff Mike Byrd.

Deputies discovered Shontile Leprice Keys, 24, 5119 Meridian, Moss Point, with a gunshot to the stomach. Keys was take to Singing River Hospital, Pascagoula.

It was determined Keys had broken into the residence to await the arrival of the homeowners, according to the report. When the homeowners arrived, Keys attacked them but he was eventually shot, the report said.

No bond has been set and Keys remains in the hospital, according to the report.

Labels: assault, MS, residence robbery

Homeowner foils burglary

An attempted home burglary may have been foiled last week by a vigilant homeowner.

According to a report with the Jackson County Sheriff's Department, Lisa Darlene Gipson, 43, Arthur Reginald McCants, 42, and Michael Edwards, 51, were arrested July 6 after they allegedly tried to burglarize the residence of Murdoch "Butch" Taylor, which is located at 4029 Orange Grove Road.

The arrest report says that Taylor stopped the burglary after he recognized Gipson and McCants as breaking into his residence earlier and stealing a wallet and money.

According the report, Taylor was taking a bath when he heard a knock at his door. He went down and found Gipson outside.

Gipson entered the residence and, according to the report, started removing her clothes. When Taylor asked her what she was doing, the report says that she responded that she was trying to prostitute herself.

Gipson later said she wanted something to drink. The report says that Taylor got her a beer and escorted her to the front door of the residence.

Parked in front of the residence was a dark-colored van. The report indicates that a man may have been leaving the van. The report states that Taylor fired four shots from a .22-caliber pistol over the van.

According to the report, Gipson and the man got back into the van, which left the scene.

The van was later found wrecked at 9112 Bayou Cumbest Road. At the accident site, the report says that deputies found McCants in the driver's side seat and Edwards in the passenger seat. Gipson was not in the van.

The report indicates that McCants was silent. However, the report notes that Edwards said the two picked Gipson up on Orange Grove Road and gave her a ride to Taylor's house.

According to the report, Edwards said they drove off, leaving Gipson at Taylor's house, but later returned to pick her up. After they picked her up the second time, Edwards said he heard something like gunshots or firecrackers.

The report states that Edwards said the two had dropped Gipson off a second time shortly before wrecking the van.

However, the report says that Taylor, when brought to the accident site, made a positive identification of the van and of McCants as someone who had broken into his residence previously.

Deputies later arrested Gipson near Taylor's residence.

Labels: MS, residence burglary

Police: D'Iberville Man Shot Dead After Threatening Wife

An overnight shooting in Harrison County has left a man dead. Deputies say it happened about 1:30 Friday morning at a home on Windsor Hill Drive in D'Iberville.

Gene Hudson, 52, was shot to death by his estranged wife after police say he threatened her with a gun.

No charges have been filed, but a Grand Jury will hear evidence in the case.

Police: Woman fatally shoots husband

Authorities say they aren’t likely to file charges against a woman accused of fatally shooting her husband until a grand jury looks at the case.

The shooting happened early Friday morning. Police say that during a heated argument, Gene Hudson pointed a gun at his estranged wife. She pulled out her own gun and fired, according to police.

Police found Hudson, a 52-year-old Moss Point man, in a “large pool of blood” around 1:30 a.m. Friday, said Harrison County Coroner Gary Hargrove.

Investigators believe Hudson’s estranged wife, whose name has not been released, shot him several times after an argument at her home, according to a written statement from Harrison County Sheriff George Payne. She was not injured.

Police found Hudson on the ground down the street from his wife’s home, according to sources. He was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

Harrison County Sheriff’s Capt. Ron Pullen said investigators are continuing to look into the case, but it’s unlikely any arrest will be made before a grand jury review.

“I’m not calling it self-defense at this point, but there was enough evidence there that suggests we should let the grand jury look at it,” he said.

Husband was shot three times
He had pulled gun on his wife

In new details revealed Monday, police said Gene Hudson's estranged wife shot him three times with a .38-caliber handgun after an argument at her home last week.

According to police, Hudson pulled a gun on his estranged wife and threatened to kill her during a domestic dispute early Friday morning. Instead, she grabbed her own gun, pointed it at Hudson and fired three rounds.

Labels: assault, domestic dispute, MS

One Dead, One Injured, Two on the Run After Convenience Store Robbery

It happened just before 2:00 a.m. Sunday morning at the Super Seven gas station located at 4564 Bullard Street. According to police, the four suspects entered the store. Two were carrying shotguns and the other two were carrying pistols. Two of the suspects began tussling with the clerk. Eventually, the clerk pulled out his own handgun and began shooting at the suspects. 17-year-old Deonta Thomas was shot in the chest. He died on the scene. 16-year-old Ryaneal Campbell was shot in the leg. He is recovering at U.M.C. and will eventually be charged with armed robbery. The store clerk does not face any charges. The other two suspects fled the scene on foot. They were wearing masks to partially conceal their faces.

Store clerk kills teen, wounds another in Jackson robbery

One suspected robber was killed and another wounded during a robbery of a store early this morning, according to a Jackson Police Department news release.
Four men entered the store at 4564 Bullard St. about 1:15 a.m. Two of the suspects were carrying pistols and two were carrying shotguns. There were two clerks and no customers in the store at the time.

A tussle occurred between one of the clerks and two of the suspects. The clerk was able to take one of the pistols away from a robber and the suspects tried to flee.

One of the clerks then produced a large-caliber handgun of his own and opened fire, hitting two of the suspects, the release said.

Deonta Thomas, 17, of Jackson was pronounced dead at the scene from a gunshot wound to the chest. The second wounded suspect was identified as Ryaneal Campbell, 16, of Jackson, who suffered a gunshot wound to his right leg.

The other two suspects left running on foot and are still at large.

Campbell was taken to the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He will be arrested on suspicion of armed robbery of a business when he gets released, according to JPD.

No charges are being brought against the store clerks, the release said.

Money taken in the robbery was recovered at the scene. There is security video of the incident but it has not been made public.

Labels: business robbery, criminal's gun taken away and used against him, minor offender, MS

Pas man killed in shooting

A man found dead in a Pascagoula apartment early Saturday morning may have been killed in self defense.

Van "Buddy" Bardwell, 42, was found dead in the kitchen of Lowell Richard Semans' apartment at 4508 Lanier Avenue. Bardwell was clutching a hatchet, according to a press release from the Pascagoula Police Department.

According to the press release, Semans warned Bardwell not to enter his home, but Bardwell charged Semans, who shot him once with a .38 caliber handgun. No charges have been filed.

The press release also said Semans and Bardwell had a confrontation Friday evening, but Jonathan Randall and Danielle Roberts, who live in the apartment next to Semans, said they thought the two men were friends.

Man accused of retaliating after shooting

A $50,000 bond was set Monday for Benjamin Emmitt Tillman Sr., the 74-year-old Pascagoula man accused of retaliating against Lowell Richard Semans, who claimed self defense when he shot and killed Van Harold "Buddy" Bardwell Saturday night at the apartment complex Bardwell's mother owns at 4508 Lanier Ave.

Semans remained in critical condition Monday at Singing River Hospital from injuries he sustained when Tillman, father of Pascagoula police Capt. George Tillman, rammed his vehicle several times, ejecting Semans from his vehicle Sunday, the day after the shooting.

Semans, 61, told police that he shot Bardwell at about 11:50 p.m. Saturday after Bardwell abruptly entered Semans' apartment and charged him with a hatchet. Semans told police that he warned Bardwell to stop but he continued to come toward him. Semans then fired one shot from a .38-caliber handgun, fatally striking Bardwell.

Officers found Bardwell on the kitchen floor with a hatchet clutched in his right hand. Police said autopsy results and other evidence also supported Semans' statements and that Bardwell was in "very close proximity" to Semans when he fired the fatal shot to Bardwell's head.

Sgts. Ronnie Thomas and Joe Don Cunningham are continuing to research reports that the two men had some sort of confrontation before the shooting.

Semans has not been charged with any crime, and the case, because of the possible self-defense implications, will be presented to a Jackson County grand jury for final review, police said.

Meanwhile, Tillman is charged with aggravated assault, a charge that could be upgraded if Semans dies.

According to police, officer David Cole saw Tillman, driving a white Ford truck, begin ramming the rear of Semans' green Ford truck while both vehicles traveled north on Hospital Road on Sunday.

Cole reported that Tillman's actions caused Semans to lose control of his truck, cross the median at U.S. 90 and Hospital Road and enter oncoming traffic.

Tillman then crossed the median, chasing after Semans' truck, and began ramming it head-on, police said.

Semans was ejected from his truck on to the pavement. Acadian Ambulance took him to the hospital, where he was admitted into the intensive care unit for his undisclosed injuries.

Tillman and his two passengers, Donna Broadus and Benjamin Emmitt Tillman Jr., were all taken to the police department, where investigators learned the act was a retaliation for Bardwell's death.

No charges were filed against Benjamin Emmitt Tillman Jr. or Broadus.

Labels: assault, home invasion, MS

St. Martin shooting death ruled self defense

No charges have been filed against a 17-year-old male involved in the shooting death Tuesday night of 20-year-old Michael Pittman, who lived at 15608 Belmont Drive in St. Martin.

Jackson County Sheriff Mike Byrd said that Deputy Eddie Rudolph and Lt. Billy Bryant arrived about 10:48 p.m. in the parking lot of the Chevron at Miss. 609 and Big Ridge Road where they found Pittman deceased in a car.

An unidentified female had driven Pittman to the store looking for help after Pittman had been shot twice -- once in the hand and another time in the lung area while he was at the 4512 Fort Bayou Road home of Michael and Loren Gladney, Byrd said.

According to Pittman's brother, whose name was not released, they went to the house so Michael Pittman could confront several people who allegedly accused him of stealing a cell phone, Byrd said.

The brother, Byrd added, confirmed witnesses' reports that Michael Pittman exited their vehicle armed with a gun and threatened to shoot those in the area.

Investigators believe the incident could have been drug-related, Byrd said.

The ruling Wednesday was that the 17-year-old, who was also not identified, had shot in self-defense, striking Michael Pittman in the back as he was fleeing the scene, Byrd said.

After conferring with the district attorney's office, Byrd said no charges would likely be filed because the incident follows statutes related to self-defense claims.

"We are going to present it to a grand jury and let them make the final decision," Byrd said.

Labels: assault, MS

As customers watched in horror Sunday afternoon, a man stabbed a woman and attempted to set her on fire in the parking lot of a Jackson store, witnesses said.

The attack was stopped by a passer-by, who held the man at gunpoint until police arrived, witnesses said.

The suspect, Henry Watson, 42, was arrested and is expected to face aggravated assault charges, Jackson Police Department Cmdr. Lee Vance said. Watson's wife, Gracie Watson, 42, was transported to the University of Mississippi Medical center, where she was listed in good condition.

"It wasn't five minutes from when she had left my line when I heard a scream outside," said Theresa Stuckey, a cashier at the Family Dollar at 516 Nakoma Drive in Jackson. "I looked out, and (the attacker) was on top of her stabbing her, and stabbing her and stabbing her.

"She was screaming, 'Help, he's trying to kill me!' She was rolling on the ground, trying to get out of the way, but he kept stabbing her. He stabbed her about 20 times in the neck, back and arms."

As the attack continued, people were yelling at the man to stop and honking their horns, Stuckey said. She said she called 911.

"He was just standing over her hacking away," said Dolly Baker, who had just left the Save-A-Lot store next door when she saw the attack.

Baker said she watched the man pour gasoline on the victim then try to strike a match.

"He was literally trying to kill that lady in broad daylight," she said.

Baker said a passer-by stopped the attack.

"He told the man, 'Stop, or I'm going to shoot. And if you run, I'm going to kill you,' " Baker said.

The man held Watson at bay until police arrived at the scene.

Labels: assault, domestic abuse, MS

Homicide ruled self-defense; woman freed

A Greenville woman walked out of the Greenville City Jail a free woman Friday afternoon after a murder charge against her was dismissed.

Municipal Court Judge Michael Prewitt dismissed the domestic homicide charge against Quintina Scott Brown during her arraignment hearing in city court.

Brown had been incarcerated since Thursday after an altercation at a Valentine's Day wedding reception led to Brown shooting her husband and being charged in the city's first homicide of the year.

Jermaine Brown, 23, was shot and killed early Thursday, and Quintina Scott Brown, 23, of Greenville was charged by the Greenville Police Department with one count of domestic homicide.

Police Lt. Andrew Kaho said the Police Department received a call about 1:30 a.m. Thursday concerning a shot person at 1253 Dublin St.

“Once officers arrived on the scene, Quintina Scott Brown told police that she had just shot her husband,” Kaho said. “Mrs. Brown said the two of them had been in an altercation earlier that day at a relative's wedding reception. It continued throughout the night.

“After they had left the reception and were at the house, Mrs. Brown said her husband assaulted her in the face,” Kaho said referring to police reports. “She told him to get his clothes and leave the residence.”

The woman said her husband refused to leave the house.

“She said he refused to leave the house and at that time, they began to wrestle with each other,” Kaho said. “She said she got loose and went to the closet and got a handgun. She said she told him again to get his things and leave the house, and he refused to leave.

“At that time, she said, the man was very upset and began to approach her,” Kaho added. “At that time, she raised the weapon and shot one time.”

Kaho said Jermaine Brown was shot in the left side of the forehead.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Quintina Brown was taken into custody by police at the scene.

Police officers retrieved a .380-caliber handgun from the residence, which is believed to be the weapon.

Kaho said the couple had three children: a 1-year-old boy and two 3-year-old girls. The police lieutenant said the children were at the house at the time of the incident, but they were not injured.

Quintina Brown reportedly “had bruises under her neck,” Kaho said. “Judge Prewitt ruled that the shooting appeared to be self-defense and dismissed the charges.”

Kaho said Friday that the case is still being investigated by the Police Department's Criminal Investigations Division.

“We are still investigating the incident, and the file will be forwarded to the District Attorney's Office for review,” Kaho said. “The D.A. will determine whether to submit the case to the next grand jury.”

Labels: domestic abuse, MS

Wounded clerks' boss armed, 'ready'

Ahmed Alomari never thought robbers would target his gas station. Even worse, he never figured on his son being hospitalized with four gunshot wounds.

"I don't know what to say. I'm just thankful he's still alive," Alomari said about his son as he handed a customer change.

It was business as usual on Tuesday at the Chevron on 905 W. Northside Drive in Jackson. But three days earlier, it was mayhem as a gunman opened fire on two employees during a robbery.

The attack was caught on surveillance video. Police are still looking for the shooter.

Bassam Alomari, 25, was shot four times, and Alhoussine Arhgoummi, 34, was shot twice. Both men are in fair condition at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

The robbery occurred around 1:30 Saturday morning.

The gunman "shot the clerk, jumped the counter, shot another clerk and made off with an undisclosed amount of money," Jackson Police Department spokesman Sgt. Jeffery Scott said. "It all happened in about 40 seconds."

Scott said he believes there was at least one other person involved in the robbery.

The video shows a second person reaching into the cash register after the gunman had jumped the counter and pursued one of the clerks.

After being shot once in the neck and three times in the torso, Bassam Alomari grabbed a .44 Magnum, walked out of the store and fired three shots at the suspects, store manager Mohammad Shawsh said.

Arhgoummi, who had worked at the store only four days, was shot once in the head and once in the stomach, Shawsh said.

If there's another robbery, Shawsh said, his employees will be prepared. As Shawsh stocked a shelf Tuesday, he did so with one gun in a hip holster and guns in each of his two front pockets.

"We're ready," he said. "If they come back here, they're not going to leave back out.

Labels: business robbery, MS

Auto repair shop robbed for 29th time

Owner says he fired shots, may have hit one robber early Sunday

Maybe he hit the guy when he fired his .38, maybe he didn't, but Eugene Miner is fed up either way.

On Sunday, the longtime Jackson business owner was burglarized again, the 29th time that has happened to his auto repair business, he said.

It was the second time in two days. He can't take it anymore.

"I think I hit one of them," he said Monday morning. "He was limping when he was going up that hill there."

In the wee hours of Saturday morning, someone broke into Miner Auto Repair on Fortification Street just east of State Street.

Eugene and Linda Miner had moved back to that location in August after less than a year on South Street. Their shop had been broken into 27 times there, they said.

And so it was sometime between 2 a.m. Saturday and dawn that someone broke into the new shop and made off with tools, a computer, dozens of purses that had been for sale and more.

They ate food in the cooler, left forks and soda cans on the floor, even took off with a trash can.

The Miners figured whoever did that was not finished. The place looked like they'd left in a hurry.

So at 3:30 a.m. the next day, Sunday, the Miners went to the shop, expecting trouble.

"We hadn't been in here 30 minutes when it happened," Linda Miner said.

What happened, according to both Miners, is this:

Two skinny guys in a white 1991 Ford Crown Victoria backed up to the same bay door that had been broken into the day before.

Eugene Miner said he'd fixed the door with metal and wood, and that he knew it was a 1991 Crown Vic because he's in the auto business and knows cars.

A short black man with light skin and a taller black man with dark skin broke through the door with a 2-by-4.

The Miners said they watched all this from the shop's office, adjacent to the repair bay where the burglars were but separated by thick glass.

Eugene Miner said the tall guy crawled on the floor next to an undamaged bay door. The other guy stayed where he was.

"That's when I started shooting," he said.

On that piece of glass between the office and the repair bays are now two small bullet holes with cracks leading from them like streams from a mountaintop lake.

After the gunfire, the men ran. The tall guy up the hill on Fortification, the short guy to the Crown Vic, which he drove away to where he could pick up the tall guy.

Jackson police detective James Cornelius is investigating the case.

He said Monday afternoon that he'd checked the area's hospitals and hadn't found anyone with a gunshot wound who fit the burglar's description.

Still, he said, that doesn't mean the man was not shot. Perhaps it was a minor injury, or maybe he went far away for treatment.

Cornelius said he had no leads he wanted to discuss publicly on Monday but might have some news today.

Either way, Linda and Eugene Miner are getting sick of this.

They said they appreciate the police and didn't want to sound like they were complaining, but something has to be done about crime.

"Right now," Linda Miner said, "we are at our breaking point. We feel like the city should step in and do something. ... We have just got to have some help. We deserve some help.

"You know it's gone too far when we have to take up arms to protect ourselves."

Labels: business burglary, MS

Jackson hairdresser fires shots at thieves

Men seen on security monitor trying to steal customer's vehicle

A west Jackson hairdresser foiled an auto theft outside his business Friday morning with a .357 Magnum.

Al Bell, 44, owner of Al's Style House at 5025 U.S. 80W, was tending to his first customer of the day, chatting with her and drinking coffee, when he looked at one of his security monitors and saw a pickup pulling up next to her sport utility vehicle. He saw two men get out, and one quickly wedge the driver's side door open and climb inside.

"She was shocked, and I was too," he said. "We really just couldn't believe what was going on."

This is what Bell said happened next: As his client called 911, he pulled the large handgun from a drawer, strode outside, raised his gun and yelled, "Freeze!"

They bolted for the green, late model, four-door Ford pickup.

Bell fired, blowing out the front driver's side tire of the Ford.

The men were still scrambling for the truck.

Again, Bell yelled "Freeze!" They did not stop.

He fired again, flattening the rear driver's side tire of the truck.

By this time, the men were in the truck and driving off - on two flat tires.

Bell fired a third time, blowing a hole in the rear driver's side door.

The truck roared off, east on U.S. 80 toward Metrocenter.

Jackson police officers took a report on the attempted vehicle theft.

"The castle law gives you the right to protect yourself and your property," said JPD Cmdr. Lee Vance, who is in charge of the precinct where the incident took place. "We didn't charge him."

The Castle Doctrine, which became law July 1, expands property owners' self-defense rights by protecting people who use deadly force against an intruder or carjacker if they believe they are in imminent danger.

While it is not known if any of Bell's rounds hit the men, Vance said there have been no reports of wounded patients at area hospitals.

That suits Bell fine.

"I ain't trying to get no blood on my hands," he said. "I didn't want to hurt nobody. I had a chance to kill them, but I just was trying to protect my property and my client."

He hopes the would-be SUV thieves do not return.

"I hope they catch them," he said. "I just hope they don't bother us anymore."

Labels: MS, street property theft

Curtis Addison's Gallatin Street auto body shop was burglarized. To protect it, he began to sleep there. He kept a gun in his pocket.

And now here he was on a warm summertime night, slouched and asleep in a dirty flower-print chair.

Just before midnight, a young man, tall and slim with a scarf hiding his mouth, waved a pistol in Addison's face and ordered him to remove his pants.

Addison awoke. He hesitated. He could not reach his gun. Not like this.

"Please don't shoot me, man," he begged. "I ain't done nothing. I got a daughter I'm trying to live for."

Before long, Addison went against what the experts say to do. He believed he had no choice. He stopped cooperating, and he attacked.

The gunman fired. Five shots landed. Addison bled from his leg, his arm, his hip, his chest and his belly.

But Addison was lucky. His story does not end there. Weeks later, he would be back at work, his accused attacker locked up in jail.

...

He kept a rifle under the counter, a two-shot Derringer pistol in his pants pocket. Besides that, he is a big man, a former football player with the kind of body that could easily hurt a smaller man.

So there he was two days after the scooter theft, July 6, in his shop. He fell asleep in that flower-print chair watching the news, his head cocked to the left. He remembers that clearly because that's how he was when the gunman woke him.

"Get up. Get up!" the man yelled. "Take off your pants!"

Addison knew the man wanted his pants because his wallet and keys were in there. No big deal, really, because he kept his cash in his shirt pocket.

But still, Addison did not like the look in the young man's eyes, droopy, mysterious eyes that held no shame. He believed the scarf-faced man meant to kill him.

Slowly, carefully, Addison removed his pants, the skinny young man still yelling.

The robber snatched the pants away.

The Derringer in the pocket skittered across the tile floor.

Addison attacked.

He shoved the gunman but was too far away to tackle him or to go for the big gun he held.

Bang!

A bullet ripped through a pane of glass.

Bang!

Another one tore through Addison's right leg.

The gunman took off.

Addison darted to the office, slumped into a chair, and reached for the phone.

The gunman returned.

Bang! He shot Addison again. Bang! Again.

Addison ran into the snack room and barricaded the door. There was no phone in that room.

His rifle remained under the counter, his tiny pistol in the hall, useless and sitting on the tile.

Addison bled from his leg, his hip, his arm.

He waited.

Silence.

He left the snack room and went to the office phone. He was sitting there when the gunman returned.

He shot Addison twice more. The chest. The belly.

Addison ran to the front counter. He grabbed the rifle, left the pistol.

He stormed into the office with hate in his heart, but the robber was gone.

...

He returned to work in August, and said he feels great. The robber did not get the $400 in his shirt pocket, and Addison has changed the locks on his home and his business.

The police seized his pistol and rifle to run background checks. He said he purchased both legally.

The man accused of shooting him, 23-year-old Rodney Mendenhall, is jailed with no bond on an aggravated assault charge. A trial date has not been set.

Since reopening his shop, Addison bought a new pistol, which he keeps in his pocket.

Labels: business robbery, defender shot, MS

Judge rules killing was self defense

The 19-year-old female charged in an Oct. 31 fatal shooting has been freed from police custody.

Phyllis Williamson of Greenville was arraigned on Nov. 1 in Greenville Municipal Court before Judge Michael Prewitt.

At that time, Prewitt set William-son's bond on the murder charge at $100,000.

However, during a preliminary hearing last week, Prewitt dismissed the charges against Williamson.

“The charges were dismissed by the judge stating that it was in self-defense,” Lt. Andrew Kaho explained. “However, the Police Department will continue to investigate the case and prepare it for presentation to the grand jury.”
…

Kaho said witnesses told police that Hunt and Williamson and some other people began walking in the 1600 block of East Alexander Street.

“While they were walking, he reportedly then pulled the weapon out again, and that's when Williamson reportedly pulled out a pistol and shot Mr. Hunt,” Kaho said. “He was shot once in the back and once in the left arm. The bullet went through the left arm and into the left side of the chest.”

Kaho said while investigators were still at the scene, Williamson returned to the scene and was taken into custody. She was charged with one count of murder.

Labels: assault, MS

BREAKING NEWS: ROBBER SHOT BY STORE CLERK

A man allegedly attempting armed robbery at a local pawnshop was shot in the head by a store employee Monday morning.

The man is in critical condition at a local hospital.

Three subjects entered Old South Pawn Shop on St. Catherine Street around 10 a.m., Police Chief Mike Mullins said.

Two of the men had their faces covered and the third stayed by the door.

One man was carrying a handgun in each hand, demanded money and soon fired into the store, Mullins said.

"The employee returned fire and struck him in the head," Mullins said.

The employee held the other two suspects at gunpoint in the parking lot until police arrived.

Two men were arrested, while the third was transported by ambulance.

"The employee appears to have fired in self defense," Mullins said. "No charges have been filed against him."

Labels: business robbery, MS

Carjacking Case Tests New 'Castle' Doctrine

The limits of a new law are in question this week after a weekend shooting, where a carjacking victim took revenge on his attacker.

The new Castle doctrine that went into effect this summer is designed to give people more rights to protect themselves. That includes using a deadly weapon.

Madison-Rankin County District Attorney David Clark says he doesn't believe the man who shot accused carjacker, Clinton Pierre, in Jackson Saturday will face any charges.

Clark says that man will be protected under the Castle doctrine law, which gives people rights to used deadly force to protect their properties and more.

Representative John Reeves says, "Cars and their businesses. This fella that I read in the paper today that stole somebody's car got shot, thats going to be too bad, the guy who did the shooting is not going to be in trouble for that."

David Clark says, "The only way were going to stop crime is to take tough measures against criminals and the people of this country here the right to protect their home and their cars and their property. That's what this law does, and I strongly favor it."

Whether the Castle doctrine deters crime remains to be seen. Until then, it's giving criminals a hard lesson on why you shouldn't commit crimes.

Hinds County District Attorney Faye Peterson says the shooting case involving Clinton Pierre will be brought before a grand jury.

Labels: carjacking, MS

Suspect shot, killed in home invasion attempt

A Jackson man was shot and killed earlier this afternoon in an apparent home invasion attempt on Houston Avenue, said Cmdr. Lee Vance, a spokesman for the Jackson Police Department.

Ronnie Chambers, 29, died at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, following an attempt to forcibly enter an apartment at 593 Houston Ave. about 12:53 p.m. today, Vance said.

No charges will be filed against the resident, whom Vance would not identify. “Apparently the shooting was justified,” he said.

Since no charges will be filed, the department will not release the 30-year-old man’s name, he said.

Labels: home invasion, MS

Man shot after breaking into house

A teen that allegedly broke out a window in an occupied home got more than he bargained for Wednesday morning.

Charles Edward Noble, 18, was later arrested on charges of robbery with a deadly weapon, but not before a visit to the hospital.

“The complainant was laying in bed,” Police Chief Mike Mullins said. “An unknown subject knocked out the window near his bed and yelled at him to lay on the floor.”

The resident of the house at 10B Shaw St., then reached for a handgun and fired three shots, Mullins said.

“He heard a scream in pain and called the police,” Mullins said.

The resident later found the front door to the house partially open, and officers found a tennis shoe outside the window.

Labels: home invasion, MS, residence robbery

Saucier Couple Says Of Gunman: "It Was Him Or Us"

A gun battle in Saucier ended with an armed robbery suspect dead and an elderly couple lucky to be alive.

Beth Greer, 73, and her husband Tommy Greer, 60, say they returned home from work shortly before 11pm Monday night. Within minutes, they were staring down the barrel of a gun.

The blood stains have dried but the memories are still fresh in Beth Greer's mind. She says one moment she was unloading her car, the next she was asking a gunman to spare her life.

"Out of nowhere to my right there was this voice that said 'Hey." So I turned around and looked and it was this masked man. He had a mask on and a jacket that all seemed like it blended together and he had a gun in his hand pointed at me," Beth Greer said.

Greer screamed for her husband who was inside. That's when she says the gunman walked past her and into the house to confront Tommy Greer.

"He had the gun pointed at me," said Tommy Greer. "I figured he was going to shoot me anyway so why not try to whip him, take him down. So me and him went 20 feet over there. He shot and hit me up through the head and it [the bullet] went up the wall into the ceiling. "

Still outside, Beth Greer had grabbed a gun from her car.

"I heard a shot go off and, of course, I just knew he had killed Tommy. In an instant, he stepped back into the garage. One step in the garage, still with his gun pointed at me, and I just opened fire on him. I just shot, shot, shot, shot," Beth Greer remembered.

At the Harrison County Sheriff's Department on Tuesday, the Greers finally got to see the face behind the mask. To their surprise it was Bobby Hardy, a regular customer at their store in Gulfport. The Sheriff says Hardy, whose criminal history included aggravated assault and armed robbery, probably followed the couple home.

Sheriff George Payne said, "Historically, we don't release the names of victims like this, and they're victims involved in shootings. But they wanted to do that to tell their story so the rest of the public knows that this is America and we're not going to be intimidated by these thugs that think they can come to our homes and rob us or shoot us, and we're not just going be intimidated and roll over for them. Quite frankly, there was a gun battle there and she won the gun battle and this outlaw lost his life."

Labels: home invasion, MS

Victim: "It was either me or him"

The woman who fought back during a carjacking believes her safety may still be at risk. This weekend the Copiah County woman shot and killed the man she said was trying to steal her car and possibly kill her.

It happened around 11:30pm Saturday outside a pool hall on Highway 51 in Copiah County.

Kennya Johnson is still shaken up. Saturday night she was leaving the pool hall in Copiah County when a man approached her, asked for directions, then pulled out a gun.

"I reached over to shut my door from my left, and he had a gun in my face, a silver gun in my face," said Johnson. "He told me to get out. I threw my hands up, and asked him what he wanted and he said, ‘I want to have this car."

Johnson says she offered to give the man her car, but as friends passed by, her attacker told her not to speak out. The gun was still at her chest. Johnson feared for the worst.

"I'm begging him and telling him that I have got kids," said Johnson. "He said, ‘b***h do I look like I have got a heart.' So I knew it was serious at this time."

Luckily, her attacker, Vincent Fleming, 19, of Jackson, got confused. He misheard Johnson and assumed she had a child in the back seat. He allowed her to remove the baby, but she took that opportunity to get her handgun. She reached inside grabbed the gun and shot once. Fleming fell to the ground

"At that time he came up with the gun pointed at me. So I just started back shooting because it was either me or him," said Johnson.

She shot the 19-year-old at about five times. She said three other men picked the teen up off the ground and drove away. He later died at the hospital.

But Johnson still fears retaliation. Johnson said she was told by investigators that one of those three men turned himself in on Sunday. She said he provided investigators with valuable information but was never arrested.

"So that means that there are three guys out there that know me, and I don't know them. Evidently the Sheriff's department is not concerned about my safety," said Johnson.

Johnson believes her 1992 Buick was not what her attacker really wanted. She said he mentioned how much he liked her 22-inch rims.

Copiah County Sheriff Harold Jones would not address Kennya Johnson's concerns today. He says the investigation is still ongoing.

Labels: carjacking, MS

Jackson police probe shooting

Two men with bullet wounds found in south Jackson neighborhood

Two men with gunshot wounds were discovered in a pickup in a south Jackson neighborhood Monday afternoon shortly after two neighboring business owners reported shooting at armed, masked men who had attempted to enter one of the businesses.

The injured men were taken to the University of Mississippi Medical Center, one with a bullet wound to the neck and the other with a bullet wound to the arm.

Police Cmdr. Lee Vance said investigators were not ready to say whether the two crimes were connected. No charges had been filed Monday night.
…

Shortly after 3 p.m., workers at the Fairhill Drive address saw the men in front of the house, and police were called.

About 15 minutes earlier, an attempted robbery was reported at J Town Auto Sales, 1500 U.S. 80 West.

The owner reported firing at least two to three shots, Vance said.

The men then ran west down U.S. 80 and passed Standard Shift Transmission next door.

One of the men ran toward the owner, who also fired shots at them, Vance said.

An employee at the transmission shop who didn’t want to be identified said the business owner fired at one of the men after he pointed a gun at him.

J Town salesman Russell Seline said he saw his boss standing on the porch exchanging fire with the gunmen outside the business.

Surveillance cameras also captured the owner sitting at his desk when he apparently noticed something outside.

A woman sitting in front of his desk ducked down while he grabbed his gun, the video showed. When one of the gunmen opened the front door, the owner began firing.

“Instead of them shooting, they were getting shot at,” Seline said.

Bullet holes could be seen in the top of a silver Ford Probe, where Seline said the masked men took cover.

About 30 minutes before the attempted armed robbery, Seline said a man came in and paid $8,500 in cash for a Lincoln Navigator.

Seline said they couldn’t be certain that the two incidents were connected, but it is not often that someone comes in and pays cash for a vehicle.

Most purchases are made on credit and, if a cash purchase is made, it’s never for more than $2,500, he said.

Police did not release the names of the business owners.

Both went to the downtown police station Monday evening to be questioned further.

Labels: business robbery, MS

A man was shot Monday night while attempting to rob a liquor store on Bailey Avenue in Jackson, police Cmdr. Lee Vance said.

About 9:20 p.m., a woman working at the store reported to police that a man wearing a handkerchief over his face tried to rob B's Package Store at 1804 Bailey Ave., Vance said. She said that she fired two shots, hitting the man at least one time in the stomach area.

The man then ran out of the store and into the neighborhood behind the business.

Another man was thought to be involved in the shooting, but it was unclear what his role was.

As of 11 p.m. Monday, the suspects had not been found.

Labels: business robbery, MS

Man shot in late-night altercation

A local man remains hospitalized after he was shot once in the arm and once in the chest. The shooting occurred Wednesday about 1:30 a.m. after he allegedly forced his way into his estranged wife’s house on Meehan-Savoy Road.

Maj. Ward Calhoun of the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department said the wounded man had called the woman to say he was on the way to her home. In the meantime, she called 911. When the estranged husband arrived, he allegedly forced his way in and was shot twice by a man who was visiting in the home.

Calhoun said the wounded man is in stable condition and no charges have been filed against the shooter. He said the case is expected to be presented to the next Lauderdale County grand jury.

Labels: domestic dispute, home invasion, MS

Would-Be Burglar Shot

A would-be burglar was busted by a homeowner in Vicksburg in the early morning hours Monday. According to police, 50 year-old Mary Miller was shot in the neck as she tried to break into a house in the 700 block of 1st North. She underent surgery at UMC, and then went back to Vicksburg with a relative.

No charges will be filed against the homeowner... No word yet if Miller will face any charges.

Labels: MS, residence burglary

Intruder Shot As He Allegedly Steals Two Days In A Row

Around 11 a.m. Tuesday morning, Al Brown shot a man who was allegedly attempting to steal from his home for the second day in a row.

Now the alleged intruder is at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the upper-chest.

Police are not releasing the name of the man who allegedly broke into Brown's home twice, but he is being charged with burglary.

The question is will he be charged with one count or two?

Police believe he went Monday and returned Tuesday to finish the job.

Brown is being questioned by police, but is not expected to be charged.

Sharlott Hewitt, the homeowner's mother-in-law, said after Brown's television, computer and other electronics were taken in broad daylight, police told him the thief may return. She said this time he was waiting with a gun.

"They don't like what happened but it couldn't be helped. The first time he did this and took the stuff from his house, he should have stayed away. He came back for what little he left," said Hewitt.

Hardy said Brown's two small children were in the home when everything was unfolding. After Brown shot the intruder, he immediatly called the police.

Neighbors in the area claim they didn't see what happened Monday but they heard the shots Tuesday. All this did happen in broad daylight.

Labels: MS, residence burglary

Yazoo Homeowners Help Capture Escaped Inmate

An escaped inmate in Yazoo County is back behind bars.

Accused bank robber Torry Solomon escaped from the Yazoo County jail early Thursday morning along with a fellow inmate Charlie Jones.

The Yazoo County sheriff said Solomon was walking near Regan Drive when a woman spotted him walking toward her home.

The woman told her husband, who got a gun, and held Solomon until the sheriff’s department picked him up.

Solomon was being held for a string of robberies in several metro area counties. Jones was captured last Thursday.

Labels: fugitive, MS

Elderly man shoots burglar

Suspect found with 2 bullets in his back

Deputies arrested a suspected burglar Monday after an 85-year-old Saucier man reported he had shot a man who broke into his home.

Harrison County sheriff's investigators said the resident knew Wayne Thomas Clark and identified him as the burglar. Deputies went to Clark's home on Mack Pete Road and found him asleep with two gunshot wounds to his back, said Sheriff's Capt. Ron Pullen.

The break-in and shooting occurred Saturday but wasn't reported until Sunday. Clark was shot with a small-caliber handgun, said Pullen.

Clark, 42, was taken to a hospital for medical treatment and was held without bond at the Harrison County jail. A judge declined to set bond on the burglary charge. At the time of his arrest, Clark was out of jail on bond for a pending stolen property charge.

The resident, who lives in the 25400 block of Mississippi 53, told investigators the burglar assaulted him, said Pullen.

The charge against Clark and the shooting will be presented to a grand jury. The elderly man was not arrested, but the incident will be presented as a matter of concern "to be sure he acted within the law," said Charlie Wood, an assistant district attorney.

"Fortunately, we don't have many instances of people shooting intruders in their home," Wood said.

State law allows residents to defend themselves in their homes. An amended law effective in July adds protection for those using deadly force in self-defense and extends self-defense rights to people's vehicles and businesses.

Labels: assault, MS, residence burglary

Newton Police Probe Robbery, Shooting

Newton police say they are close to filing charges in the case of a robbery "gone bad."

Around 4:00 p.m. on Thursday at Joe's Tire Shop in Newton, investigators say two teens entered the store with a pistol, demanding money.

"He came in and raised the firearm up at the victim. At that time a struggle ensued," said Lt. Brian Kelly of the Newton Police Department. "The suspect then attempted to leave, and when he turned around he raised the handgun up at him and the suspect was shot at that time."

Investigators say the gunman was shot with a hidden shotgun that the clerk had managed to get. After the shot was fired, police say the 15-year-old suspect and his 18-year-old accomplice fled through a wooded area to some nearby apartments where they were later apprehended.

Both suspects are said to be storm evacuees from New Orleans. Officers say the gunman's injury to the arm was not life threatening.

Formal charges have not been filed, but both suspects are still being questioned by police.

Labels: business robbery, MS

The apparent victim of an armed robbery fought back Sunday, sending the would-be robber running.
Capt. Danny Hill of the Clarksdale Police Department said the man was sitting in his truck in a store parking lot on DeSoto Avenue around 4 p.m. when he was approached.

"The (suspect) came up to him and pointed a pistol at him and demanded his money," he said. "The victim would not give up his money so the would-be robber turned and ran toward the railroad tracks."
Hill said the victim exited his truck and grabbed his shotgun, firing at the fleeing robber.
"No evidence was found to indicate that the brave-hearted would-be robber was hit by the shotgun blast," he said. "No charges have been brought against the intended victim. The 'former' robber has not been identified as of yet."

Labels: domestic abuse, home invasion, MS, street robbery

JPD Investigates Traffic Accident, Shooting

Jackson police are investigating a gunfight that allegedly happened after a traffic accident.

The shooting happened in front of 317 Spanish Court just after 6 p.m. on Tuesday.

JPD said men in a dark-colored Chevy Caprice drove up to Napoleon Smith's home on Spanish Court to confront him about hitting their car.

The men allegedly fired pistols at the home and Smith returned fire with a rifle.

One of the men was hit in the thigh and the other was hit in the neck and chest.

Both men are reportedly at University of Mississippi Medical Center.

So far, officers have not filed any charges.

Labels: assault, MS

Teen Shot During Home Invasion

A Jackson teen has been hospitalized after being shot during an apparent break-in attempt at a neighbor's house.

The teen was with three other juveniles at the time, and was shot by the homeowner.

It happened at 232 Clubview drive in west Jackson, shortly before 11 Tuesday morning.

During any other week, they'd probably be inside a classroom, but because there's no school, and they got into some trouble, two teens stand handcuffed, outside a crime scene.

Precint [sic] Three Commander Ron Sampson says, "About 10:45 we received a call of a house burglary in progress. The homeowner happened to be at home, two subjects made entry into the home, the homeowner fired a shot and hit the suspect in the right leg."

One teen was hospitalized with a gunshot wound to the leg.

Detective Brendan Bell says, "Possibly all four are going to be charged with house burglary."

The homeowner, Beverly Johnson, wasn't home but her son was. He was taken in for questioning, but not charged and he wasn't home alone. His two younger nephews were inside the house with him.

Police suspect burglary as a motive, and this wasn't the first time the Johnson home was targeted.

Detective Bell says, "At this residence I believe in the past couple weeks he's had a number of reported break ins at this home, so that possibly contributed to his reaction."

Police say the injuries on the teen shot don't appear to be life threatening. Neighbors say he lives in the neighborhood.

As the investigation into this crime continues, J.P.D. detectives say they could link the teens to other unsolved burglary cases in the area.

Labels: MS, residence burglary

Suspected Burglar Fatally Shot at Jackson Business

A man, who police say was attempting to rob a Jackson business, was shot and killed Saturday night.

Jackson police were called to Livingston Towing and Recovery at 3228 Medger Evers Boulevard at 11:38 p.m.

There they found 35 year old Timothy Darby of Jackson fatally shot in the rear of the business. J.P.D. spokesman Detective Brendan Bell said Darby allegedly attempted to burglarize a vehicle on the company lot when the business owners interrupted him.

Bell said the owners struggled with the suspect over the owner's gun.

During the struggle Darby was shot once in the left shoulder.

Police have not released the names of the towing company's owners.

Bell said the owners also lived on the business property.

No formal charges have been filed.

A woman answering the phone at Livingston Towing and Recovery said no one was available to comment on the shooting death.

Tow firm shooter faces gun charge

A Jackson businessman who shot and killed a suspected burglar is facing a new charge because of a conviction more than two decades ago.

Fred James Perry, 55, owner of Livingston Towing & Recovery at 3228 Medgar Evers Blvd., has been charged as a felon in possession of a firearm.

Perry was convicted in 1982 of armed robbery, according to Hinds County Circuit Court records.

A felon can't own or possess a firearm. Under federal law, felons convicted of possessing firearms face up to 10 years in federal prison or a $250,000 fine. Under state law, the maximum penalty is three years in prison.

Jackson Police Department Detective Brendon Bell said Perry has not been charged in the Saturday night shooting of Timothy Darby, 36, of Jackson. The shooting is still under investigation, he said. The case will be presented to a grand jury.

Bell said he did not know when detectives did a background check on Perry. But Perry was taken to the police station and questioned Saturday night, police said.

Perry was arrested Wednesday, according to the police docket. He was released Thursday afternoon on $10,000 bond from the Hinds County Detention Center at Raymond.

Jury deems killing justified

For the second time in six months, a Hinds County grand jury has declined to indict a person who killed another while defending his home or business.

In the latest case, the grand jury said Fred James Perry, 55, owner of Livingston Towing & Recovery at 3228 Medgar Evers Blvd. in Jackson, should not be prosecuted for fatally shooting suspected burglar Timothy Darby, 36, of Jackson on Dec 17.

Police did not arrest Perry in Darby's death but did charge him as a felon in possession of a firearm because of Perry's 1982 conviction for armed robbery.

But the grand jury also returned no indictment on that charge.

"We presented to the grand jury on both a felon in possession of a firearm and the homicide, and they returned a no bill (didn't indict) on both charges," Hinds County District Attorney Faye Peterson said. "Why, I don't know. We thought they might convict on the felon in possession of a handgun."

But Peterson said the grand jury may have looked at the circumstances of the case and decided not to indict on either charge.

Perry saw Darby on his lot late the night of Dec. 17 attempting to break into a vehicle, Jackson police said. Words may have been exchanged between the two before Perry fired one shot that hit Darby.

Darby was pronounced dead at the scene from a gunshot wound to the left shoulder, Hinds County Coroner Sharon Grisham-Stewart said.

A woman who identified herself as Perry's wife said Monday they did not want to comment about the fatal shooting, but then added that Jackson is a high-crime area.

"We are going to support the city officials, police and district attorney," she said. "They are working hard to do what they have to do."

In a Nov. 27 shooting, Jackson homeowner Cedric Marshall wasn't indicted in the death of Marcus D. Rawls, 23, also of Jackson.

Marshall was indicted in March on gun and possession-of-cocaine charges from an Oct. 14 arrest.

Police found Rawls dead on the porch at 464 Willaman St. at 4:36 a.m. Nov. 27. He was wearing a ski mask and gloves. He died from a gunshot wound to the head, Grisham-Stewart said.

Published reports said Marshall thought two men were trying to break into his home and shot through the door to scare away the intruders.

Police would not say at the time of the shooting if Rawls was accompanied by anyone else.

Under current Mississippi law, a citizen can legally kill someone when resisting an attempt to commit a felony upon the person or in that person's dwelling. A killing also is justified if a person thinks there is imminent danger of a felony being committed or the infliction of great personal injury upon him.

A new law passed by the 2006 Legislature expands the self-defense law to an occupied vehicle, place of business, place of employment or in the immediate premises. It goes into effect July 1.

A person deemed not guilty of any crime, under the new law, would be immune from civil liability.

Labels: MS, street property theft

The Jackson County Sheriff's Department is investigating a shooting Sunday that left Brian Howell dead and his friend, Richard Hinton, in jail.

Sheriff Mike Byrd said Howell and Hinton went to get Hinton's ex-wife, who was with her boyfriend, Donald Sexton Sr., at Sexton's house on Yellow Bluff Road. Howell and Hinton, the sheriff said, had baseball bats and guns with them.

Hinton allegedly fired into the trailer, but did not hit anyone. Byrd said it appears Sexton returned fire in self-defense and struck Howell in the head. Howell was taken to a hospital in Alabama, where he later died.

Hinton was charged with shooting into an occupied dwelling. Byrd said the case against Sexton will be presented to a grand jury, which will decide whether charges against him will be filed.

Labels: assault, domestic dispute, MS

Burglary suspect killed on porch

Resident fired gun through front door to scare men, brother says

A Jackson man who shot through his front door at a suspected house burglar early Sunday morning never intended to kill him, a relative said.

But Marcus Rawls, 23, of Jackson was found dead on the porch at 4:36 a.m. wearing a ski mask and gloves, officials said.

Tory Willis said his brother, Cedric Marshall, was shaken up after learning he had fatally shot a man at 464 Willaman St.

"He was trying to protect himself," said Willis, 23. "He wasn't trying to kill anybody."

Jackson Police Department Detective Brendon Bell said police had not charged the shooter as of Sunday night.

Bell would neither identify nor confirm the shooter described as "an occupant of the house," but Willis identified his brother as the shooter.

Marshall could not be reached. But during an interview at the home Sunday afternoon, Willis described what happened.

Willis said his brother told him two men he didn't know knocked on his door at 2 a.m. Sunday. And when Marshall didn't answer, the men tried to kick down his door, so he fired shots to scare the men off. Thinking he had done so, he went to bed, Willis said.

A few hours later, Marshall's cousin drove by the house and called Marshall when he saw a man lying on the porch, Willis said.

Rawls died from a gunshot wound to the head, said Hinds County Coroner Sharon Grisham-Stewart.

"Right now the case has to be prepared and presented to the grand jury," Bell said. The grand jury will determine whether the shooting was justifiable.

Bell could not confirm whether there was a second potential burglar.

Many of the surrounding neighbors on Willaman Street said the neighborhood is usually quiet except for a recent string of break-ins.

Labels: MS, residence burglary