Natchez High School football bus was struck by a bullet after Provine game

Published 4:13 pm Monday, September 26, 2016

JACKSON — Natchez High School administrators and the Jackson Police Department confirmed Monday that a bullet struck a Natchez High School football bus Friday night as the bus was returning to Natchez following the team’s game against Provine High School in Jackson.

JPD Commander Tyree Jones said JPD received a call from the bus driver at 11:43 p.m. The bus was headed back to Natchez after the game, when a bullet broke a window.

Jones said three players on the bus were injured by broken glass, and head football coach Roy Rigsby said no player or coach on the bus was severely injured.

Email newsletter signup

Jones said officers reported multiple bullets may have been fired from an overpass above I-55. He said it is not clear at the moment whether the bus was targeted.

“We aren’t sure right now,” Jones said. “We wouldn’t say it was targeted … We haven’t had an incident like this in the past.”

Natchez High School principal Tony Fields said the school is cooperating with Natchez Police Department which is helping JPD with the investigation. Fields and Rigsby declined to comment further.