Suspect said he was coming from church
Jackson police have confirmed that a suspect was shot Saturday morning after an officer’s gun accidentally discharged, and another officer returned fire. The victim, however, told local news stations that he was coming from church at the time and was shot “for nothing.”
Officer Colendula Green said the incident began about 1:15 a.m., when officers responded to a shots fired call in the 3300 block of Santa Rosa. When the officers arrived, they saw two black males, including the suspect, 27-year old Sherman Jackson, standing near a gray Chevy Oldsmobile.
“Jackson was asked to take his hands out of his pocket,” Green said, “[and he] refused to comply with the officer’s command.”
Green said Jackson then ran off, with his hands still in his pockets, and with one of the officers in pursuit. The officer caught up with Jackson, and reportedly, once again asked him to take his hands out of his pockets.
Green said the officer then took his gun out of the holster, for safety reasons, when it accidentally discharged and a bullet struck the ground.
Another assisting officer heard the gunshot and thought Jackson had fired a weapon at the officer. The assisting officer drew his weapon and shot Jackson in the arm.
WLBT reported that Jackson said he and his friends were simply returning from church when they were stopped by police in the driveway of his friend’s house.
“As he comes he got his gun out, so that’s why I’m backing up,” Jackson told WLBT. “I mean why you got to have your gun out? We don’t have anything. I’m backing up. So when I took off running I hear a “pow” and I felt my arm and I felt it, and I fell.”
During a search, police found marijuana on Jackson’s person and he was charged with possession and disobeying a police officer.
Jackson was transported to UMC for treatment and later taken into custody. The incident remains under investigation.
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