Thirty gunshots ring out into the neighborhood. One man lies dead, riddled with bullets. And no one saw a thing.

That’s the problem facing homicide investigators with the Adams County Sheriff’s Office after the Monday night shooting of Ronnie Jones.

Investigators find themselves in a frustrating situation of almost certainly knowing that someone saw the shooter or has a clue about the shooter’s identity, but no one is willing to step forward and assist the investigators.

If 30 shots ring out, even shot quickly, it’s almost a certainty that someone would look in that direction, open a curtain or pull back the blinds to see the source of the noise.

But of course who could blame the reluctant witnesses at Village Square Apartments.

Word on the street is that the murder was in retaliation for another shooting death earlier this year. And, without an arrest, the shooter still looms as a threat.

But without someone coming forward, the shooter remains at large.

It’s a Catch-22.

The situation is scary for residents and a frustrating knot of uncertainty for investigators.

As frightening as it may be, residents who know something about this case must be brave and call the Miss-Lou Crime Stoppers at 601-442-5000.

Without their help, law enforcement officers may be stuck with no way of solving the crime. If that happens, the criminals have the upper hand and law-abiding citizens have no place to turn.