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NATCHEZ — Adams County Coroner James Lee identified a man who was shot and killed early Friday morning in an Adams County neighborhood while authorities said he was attempting to break into a home.

Lee identified the man as 35-year-old Gari Harris.

“It’s another sad day in Natchez,” Lee said. “As always, my prayers go out to all of the families involved.”

The incident occurred on Johnson Circle, where Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten said the man appears to have broken windows and tried to kick in the door of the residence before he was shot.

He was pronounced dead on arrival, he said

Dispatchers received a 911 call just before 6 a.m. Friday morning about an unwanted person on Johnson Circle. As officers were on their way, the caller remained on the phone with 911 as the situation escalated, Patten said.

“He began to break windows around the residence and found an unlocked metal security door under the carport. He opened that door and then started trying to kick in the other door behind that. Once that door came open, the homeowner fired a warning shot first and then fired another shot which struck the suspect in the arm. The bullet proceeded on through his chest and he was pronounced dead on arrival.”

Patten added homeowners said they didn’t know Harris.

“At this time, we do not know why he was at that house,” he said. “He did the same thing at another residence up the street as well.”

He said the homeowners were taken to the sheriff’s office for questioning but it appears that they were acting defensively.

“Mississippi is a castle doctrine state,” he said. “While this subject was beating on the windows and doors, the homeowner screamed several times for him to leave making it clear that he was not wanted there. Even after he fired the warning shot, he continued trying to get into the residence.”