JPD: 3 injured in 2 Wednesday shootings
Jackson police are investigating two incidents that left three people suffering from gunshot wounds within about an hour on Wednesday.
The first shooting occurred on West Capitol Street and Ford Avenue, where Justin Butler, 26, was shot multiple times in the armpit and chest, officials said. He is in critical condition.
Jackson Police Department's Twitter account said suspects fled the scene in a blue or black Yukon with a broken rear window.
The second shooting left Darrel Lee, 21, with a gunshot wound to the chest and Rashad Jackson, 19, with shots to the back and the back of head. Jackson's condition is unclear, and Lee is in critical condition.
The University of Mississippi Medical Center does not have records of Lee, Jackson, or Butler, according to a spokesman.
Chief Lee Vance said it appears they got into a fight at a Citgo on State Street and Sheppard Road. Both fled to a location on Lawrence Road. The suspects fled that scene in a mint green vehicle, police said.
Vance said in both cases, the shootings seem to be the outcome of personal disputes. He said the violence, even though it's rarely random, reflects poorly on the capital city.
"I don't know any other way to put it, conflict resolution among some of our citizens is non existent. People are way too anxious to pull a gun and shoot somebody," he said. "It's casting a terrible shadow over this city as being dangerous and crime-ridden."
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The chief pointed to his department's record of solving most of the cases put before them, but he said there's got to be some way to prevent shootings before they happen.
"We're looking for solutions everywhere we can look. We've gotten in the car and ridden to other cities and asking them, 'What are you doing to keep people from shooting each other?' and they're doing the same things we're doing," he said. "It says that we have some people who live here who don't understand and are not interested in learning about conflict resolution."
If you have knowledge of these crimes, please call JPD at 601-960-1234 or Crime Stoppers at 601-355-TIPS (8477). Send a text to 847411 and enter "JPD," followed by your tip information, then press "send." You may also submit a tip online by clicking on the web tip link on the homepage of the Central MS Crime Stoppers website, or submit your tip information from a mobile device or any other computer by going to www.P3tips.com.
Contact Therese Apel at tapel@gannett.com. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.