One man killed on West Stiers Lane Sunday morning
Published 10:27 am Sunday, October 1, 2017
Natchez police officers work the scene of an early Sunday morning shooting on West Stiers Lane. (Ben Hillyer | The Natchez Democrat)
Elvis Prater walks past the Adams County Coroner’s van Sunday morning. (Ben Hillyer | The Natchez Democrat)
Natchez Police Department investigator Joe Belling picks up evidence markers at the scene of a shooting on West Stiers Lane Sunday. (Ben Hillyer | The Natchez Democrat)
A Natchez police officer holds up a white sheet in front to shield the view as Adams County Coroner James Lee conducts his investigation of the crime scene on West Stiers Lane Sunday morning. One man was found dead in a vehicle on West Stiers Lane near Texas Street. (Ben Hillyer | The Natchez Democrat)
The Adams County Coroner's van leaves the scene of the shooting Sunday. (Ben Hillyer | The Natchez Democrat)
NATCHEZ — A Natchez man died Sunday morning after being shot inside his vehicle on West Stiers Lane.
The victim, Richard Frazier, 34, was shot at least three times while he was inside his white Cadillac at 542 West Stiers Lane, said Natchez Police Chief Walter Armstrong. The call came at 5:18 a.m.
The vehicle was reportedly in the street when Frazier was shot, Armstrong said. Armstrong said he did not know if Frazier was driving at the time he was shot, but the vehicle rolled into the wall beside the opening of a garage.
No one has been arrested, though police have been interviewing people believed to have direct or indirect involvement. Armstrong said a man was in the vehicle with Frazier when Frazier was shot. The other man was uninjured, Armstrong said.
Adams County Coroner James Lee said Frazier was pronounced dead on the scene. Lee said he did not know how many wounds Frazier suffered, but he believed a shot to his neck likely killed him.
Lee said a hole was visible on the driver’s side of the windshield.
Frazier’s body was taken to the state crime lab Sunday but Lee said it would likely be Wednesday or Thursday before law enforcement receives information.
“It appears they intended to kill the victim,” Lee said. “It is a brutal way to die. I don’t know what we are going to do but something has to be done in the community to stop the shootings.
“Too many young people are dying for no reason at all in my opinion.”
Lee said he would be praying for the family of the victim.
Armstrong said police did not have a motive at this time but believe the victim was the intended target of the gunfire.
“I think it may be a continuation of some other dispute,” Armstrong said.
Armstrong said he did not know what type of weapon was fired or exactly where Frazier was shot.
Armstrong said Frazier reportedly had a history with drugs and had been a suspect in an alleged shooting on Minor Street two to three weeks ago.
In the shooting from several weeks ago, Armstrong said when officers arrived on scene to investigate, no one would talk about the incident.
Armstrong said when no one is hurt from the gunfire, people not talking is a common occurrence for officers.
“They don’t want law enforcement to get involved,” Armstrong said. “At the same time, we must be involved to make the community a safer place for everyone.
“I will continue to stress the importance of that to the citizens of Natchez. I recently said at a board of aldermen meeting that if this shooting continued, someone was going to get hurt.”
Even if people did not want to talk to an officer on the scene, Armstrong encouraged them to call Crime Stoppers. Crime Stoppers can be contacted at 601-442-5000.
Crime Stoppers offers a reward of up to $1,000 for tips leading to the arrest and conviction of a suspect. Calls are anonymous.
Anyone with information could also call 911 to speak to a police officer.
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