Jason Futch - reporter2.riverbendnews@gmail.com
The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) recently provided an update to Riverbend News concerning a shooting incident that occurred in Jennings on Thursday, Dec. 26.
According to the incident report, on Dec. 26, emergency dispatch had advised that it received a call in reference to an individual being shot in Jennings near the United States Post Office. The victim was located, and dispatch was able to obtain information on a suspect, later identified as 19-year-old resident Todd Lee Jackson. While Sgt. Rogers and other responding deputies arrived at the scene where the victim was located, Deputy Brett Fraley and another group of deputies arrived at the post office and taped it off from the public to preserve evidence at the scene. Shortly after, Sgt. Rogers advised the deputies that the shooting did not occur at the post office but instead at an intersection on Johns Street. The victim was treated and taken to South Georgia Medical Center for further evaluation. Deputies began to comb the area near Johns Street in an attempt to locate any spent shell casings or anything that could be considered evidence in the case. While searching the area, Deputy Justin Luckette located a spent 9millimeter shell casing lying in the roadway on Johns Street between Southern and Georgia Streets. Deputy Luckette also located a pair of shoes that allegedly belonged to the suspect. One shoe was located in a backyard on Georgia Street, while the other was found in the dumpster behind the post office. turned into the Hampton Village Apartments, where the strong scent was lost. According to a supplemental report filed by Deputy Luckette, prior to locating the spent shell casing and shoes, he spoke with a couple that resided on Georgia Street. One of the individuals stated that she had heard what sounded like a gunshot coming from behind her house on Johns Street at approximately 5:50 p.m. She then said that she heard a truck’s exhaust as it sped past her house. She had alerted her husband of what she heard and told him to look outside. Her husband shared that he went out his front door and observed two males in long pants and hoodies cross Georgia Street towards the post office from the tree line area on their property. He further stated that the males then ran in between the post office and the neighboring home on Georgia Street. The suspects then allegedly turned north on Johns Street before he lost sight of them due to the darkness. Deputy Luckette and Hamilton Correctional Institute’s K-9 team began tracking the suspect using the shoes found at the scene. The K-9 team was able to get a strong track leading away from the dumpster behind the post office and towards Johns Street, which was consistent with what the witnesses shared. The K-9 team continued their track to Berry Street, through a vacant lot, and into a field. The K-9 team stayed on a strong track through the field and into the parking lot of the Family Dollar. The report states the K-9 then Deputies went to the residence where the victim resided to inspect the vehicle. Upon arrival, deputies spoke with an individual who was able to translate the conversation between them and the victim's mother, who was able to provide verbal consent for the deputies to inspect the truck to look for evidence that may help further the case. Sgt. Rogers flipped a tire in the truck bed, where a spent 9-millimeter shell casing was found underneath. Deputy Fraley searched the inside of the truck. He observed a crack in the glass around the gauge display on the vehicle. He also observed gauges lying on the base of the assembly. Deputy Fraley believed a bullet had traveled into the gauge housing and shattered the glass. It was also noted the bullet appeared to be still lodged in the housing, and that blood could be seen on and inside of the vehicle. The suspect in the case, Jackson, was ultimately apprehended for the crime on Monday, Dec. 30. Information regarding his arrest and the events immediately leading up to it were not available at press time. Jackson is being held on a $2.25 million bond under charges of armed burglary, armed carjacking and aggravated battery with a firearm. Jackson had his first appearance before a judge on Friday, Jan. 3 and has pleaded not guilty.