Shooting in parking lot injures two men

Published 1:57 am Thursday, February 8, 2018

 

NATCHEZ — Two men were reportedly shot Wednesday evening while sitting in their vehicle in the Magnolia Mall parking lot.

Natchez Police Chief Walter Armstrong said both men were transported to a Jackson hospital, with one individual experiencing non-life-threatening injuries while the nature of the other’s injuries were undetermined by law enforcement as of 10:50 p.m. Wednesday.

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Armstrong said the two men — the 35-year-old driver and 27-year-old passenger — had been uncooperative with police thus far, as investigators were able to gather little information the night of the shooting.

“Their account is that they were just parked in the parking lot and somebody opened fire on them,” Armstrong said. “Both are responsive, but neither are cooperative in terms of providing information.”

The two alleged victims, Armstrong said, had been forthcoming with medical personnel about certain things but not law enforcement, which the chief called “bizarre,” given the circumstances.

Armstrong said the two victims had criminal pasts, though he said investigators had not discovered anything to indicate the two men had done anything wrong as of Wednesday night.

“Though that remains to be seen,” he said.

“There is nothing to support (any) theory about what could have happened because, again, the only parties that’s around to tell us anything are uncooperative, which is very unusual.”

No other witnesses had come forward as of Wednesday night.

Armstrong could not say for certain in what parts of the body the alleged victim’s had been struck.

Though police had little to go on Wednesday, the chief stressed the case remains under investigation, and he hoped to uncover more information in the coming days.