Police in Mississippi have arrested a man accused in a shooting that killed a 5-year-old Sunday afternoon.
25-year-old Robert Jackson is accused of shooting into a car in the 1400 block of Bailey Avenue. He surrendered to police early Monday.
“The mother of this child and her ex-boyfriend were in an argument involving some money,” Hearn said. “It led to a fight and he shot inside the vehicle.”
5-year-old Mariyah Lacey, who was inside her mother’s vehicle, was shot. She later died at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, according to police. The girl’s mother, Jasmine Self, was grazed by a bullet, but is okay, Hearn said.
Self’s other children, a 2-year-old and a 6-year-old, were also in the car but were not injured.
“This is a traumatizing situation. Now, that’s something she’s going to live with all of her life,” Hearn said. “I’m quite sure the Department of Human Services, they will be looking into some things, but as of now, we’re going forward with the charges on this individual that we arrested.”
Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba offered his condolences Monday to the family. Lumumba said he’s concerned that those who commit domestic violence aren’t shown the same disdain for their acts as once was the case.
“It does not make you a man to hurt a woman or child, nor is there any room for celebrating harming a woman or child,” Lumumba said.
The mayor pointed again to the city’s efforts to open an office for violence prevention. Lumumba said part of that effort will be to hire social workers and mental health professionals. The goal will eventually be to have predictive information to identify situations and individuals who are most at risk.
Jackson is charged with murder, four counts of aggravated assault and drive-by shooting.
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