BY GENE COLEMAN

The Natchez Democrat

NATCHEZ — Two siblings have been identified as the victim and suspect in a near-fatal shooting Tuesday, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office reported.

The victim was in intensive care Wednesday at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson; the man’s brother was in jail charged with the shooting. Sheriff’s deputies received a 911 call Tuesday at approximately 8:13 p.m. for shots fired at 84 West Wilderness Drive, in the Broadmoor community in Adams County. Lt. Cal Green said the deputies found Raymond Fleming, 30, unconscious and in critical condition with three or more gunshot wounds, one to the upper chest.

When deputies could not confirm an estimated time of arrival of an ambulance, they transported Fleming to the hospital in a patrol car, Green said. While their decision to transport the victim is not standard procedure, Green said, in this case it was necessary due to the urgency of the situation and the uncertainty of when medical services would arrive.

“That never happens, but at the same time it’s a difficult thing to imagine watching someone die, and they’re telling you we can’t tell you when we’ll arrive,” Green said.

“It was the first time ever for us,” Green said. “We’re not in the transport business, but if you have a heart you’re not going to sit there and watch someone die. The family said if not for the deputies actions they don’t think he would have lived.”

Fleming was rushed to Merit Health Natchez where he was stabilized and airlifted to Jackson, Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten said. Lt. Green said Fleming remained in intensive care as of Wednesday morning.

The suspected shooter is Fleming’s brother, Devron Green, 26, who is confined to a wheelchair.

Lt. Cal Green said the two brothers are believed to have been in a dispute that led to the shooting.

Patten stated Devron Green is charged with attempted murder and was being held in the Adams County Jail awaiting arraignment.

Lt. Green said Devron Green did not admit guilt for the shooting when speaking to deputies, but that others confirmed him as the shooter.

“He did not say he shot his brother, but eyewitness accounts say he did,” Lt. Green said.

Patten said the shooting is unrelated to any recent shootings in Natchez.

 “This shooting had nothing to do with any of the other shootings in the city,” Patten said. “It was strictly a disagreement between two brothers.”