62-Year-Old Man Shot and Robbed While Opening Doors to Church: Reports

Stock photo of police tape. (Carl Ballou/Shutterstock)

Police in Jackson, Mississippi, said a man was shot and killed while opening the doors to a church, according to local reports on Sunday, Jan. 13.

The 62-year-old man was found on the ground outside the New Bethany Church, WIS-TV reported.

The suspects robbed the victim and stole his truck, a blue 2018 Dodge Ram with a tag number of A110355.

The suspects were seen traveling in a green older pickup truck with a damaged windshield, police stated.

Those with information can call Crime Stoppers at 601-355-TIPS(8477).

Other details about the case are not clear.

The Jackson Police Department wrote that its officers are “currently at the scene of a fatal shooting in the 1700 block of Hill Ave. It is confirmed that a male is deceased.”

It added: “At least two suspects were involved and robbery is believed to be the motive. No additional info available.”

Police Chief James Davis is calling on witnesses to come forward.

He said, “In this community and all over Jackson, we ask that if you see something, say something. It’s a senseless crime. It didn’t have to happen. So im asking the public to step up,” WJTV reported.

Crime Decreased in 2017

The FBI said that both violent crime and property crime decreased in 2017 compared to 2016. Overall violent crime decreased 0.2 percent from 2016 to last year, while property crime decreased 3 percent during that time, the agency said in September 2018, releasing data from the previous year.

“There were more than 1.2 million violent crimes reported to UCR nationwide in 2017. There was a 0.7 percent decrease in murders and a 4 percent decrease in robberies from 2016 to 2017. Aggravated assaults increased 1 percent in 2017.

The FBI began collecting data solely on an updated rape definition last year, and 135,755 rapes were reported to law enforcement in 2017,” the FBI stated.

“The report also showed there were more than 7.7 million property crimes last year. Burglaries decreased 7.6 percent and larceny-thefts decreased 2.2 percent. Motor vehicle thefts increased 0.8 percent from 2016 to 2017.”

The figures were compiled from more than 13,000 law enforcement agencies around the United States that submitted their crime data to the FBI.