Police: Thanksgiving fight leads to shootings
Published 1:44 pm Tuesday, December 8, 2009
A Thanksgiving Day argument left tempers simmering for nearly a week before escalating into the shootings of two people and two dogs, and the vandalism of an antique truck, authorities said.
Metcalfe Police Chief Emmitt Jenkins is trying to sort things out, but he said several things are clear.
Lorraine Dumas, 55, and Edward Jones, 27, are recovering from gunshots suffered last Wednesday at an apartment complex in the tiny Mississippi Delta town of Metcalfe.
Herman Latimore, a 52-year-old convicted felon, faces several charges in the shooting, including domestic aggravated assault, aggravated assault and being a convicted felon with firearm.
“From what I understand, Ms. Dumas and Mr. Latimore had been living together but something happened Thanksgiving Day,” Jenkins said. “Since then, they have been living separately. She was living with an aunt in the apartment complex when Latimore came over there wanting to talk.”
Jenkins told the Delta Democrat Times newspaper that Dumas refused to go outside and talk to Latimore so he pulled a gun and dragged her out.
Jones, a neighbor in the apartment complex, tried to intervene and that’s when the shooting started, Jenkins said.
Dumas was shot in the leg. Jones was shot in the back. Jones made it inside his apartment and returned fire, though he didn’t it anyone, Jenkins said.
Both Dumas and Jones were treated at a hospital and released. Latimore was taken to jail.
It wasn’t immediately clear if Latimore had an attorney. Calls to the Metcalfe Police Department went unanswered on Sunday. The man who answered the phone at the Washington County jail would not tell The Associated Press any information about Latimore.
The day after the shooting, Jenkins said, Latimore’s two pit bulls were found shot in the mouth and his 1950 Ford truck was vandalized. Both dogs died.
“He loved those dogs and he loved that truck,” said Jenkins. “I’d like to find out who is responsible. There is no question that what was done to the dogs was out of retaliation of what happened Wednesday night.”