Video: Nettleton Shooting Leaves Community In Shock

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NETTLETON, Miss. (WCBI)- Shock, terror and disbelief gripped the small Nettleton community as gunfire erupted just before lunchtime Wednesday.

“Four individuals that work at United Furniture left and went to the bank on lunch hour. Going back towards plant, one individual pulls out a weapon and starts shooting inside the vehicle. He critically wounds one individual that dies at the hospital,” said Monroe County Sheriff Cecil Cantrell.

Witnesses watched it unfold as two of the victims lay dead on the ground.

“Before he got out the vehicle he shot him in the chest and he ran down here and gunned him down. I saw him beg for his life. He said, ‘Please please don’t shoot me. I ain’t do nothing.’ He shot him four times in the head,” said Nettleton resident Joaquin Elkins.

Tony Plunkett, an employee at Frank’s Tiger Tire reached for his phone.

“I just called 911 and saw the police officer pass the body and about that time I told 911 that police officer just passed and I heard gunshots again. I guess where the police officer returned fire.”

Immediately after bullets started flying, schools went on lockdown. Concern parents raced to their children.

“When I first got the news I called to check on my kids and then we came here to the scene to check on my family members,” said Nettleton resident DeShun Adair.

Just a few feet away from one of the bodies is First Baptist Church, where 70 small children attended class.

“We heard the gunshots. We put our facility on lockdown. We treated it as a Tornado Drill. We moved our children to safe rooms in our center hallways, locked all of our doors to be sure that nobody could get in the building and if they did then we’d have an opportunity to stop them before anything happens,” said Associate Pastor Matt Tyer.

Many around the scene couldn’t believe how their peaceful town changed in the blink of an eye.

“It’s scary! This is huge for Nettleton. Because this stuff never happens here,” said Adair.

Because the Nettleton officer was involved, The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation has taken over the case.