Authorities in Mississippi have arrested a suspect in the two fatal shootings last week that apparently occurred during phony police stops in the northern part of the state.
James D. Willie, 28, has been charged with two counts of capital murder in the shootings.
Willie, who has extensive criminal record, was arrested Tuesday on a rape charge and aggravated assault. During the arrest police found a a Ruger 9mm, semi-automatic handgun in his possession, and after running ballistics, investigators were able to match the weapon with the shootings from last week.
State Department of Public Safety spokesman Warren Strain said that the was not posing as a police officer in the shootings as authorities previously suspected.
"Hundreds of man hours have been devoted to tracking down and arresting this individual," Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant said. "Public safety is of paramount concern to us. Just as a week ago, with the resolution of the kidnap/murder case in north Mississippi, again we see the effective results of a unified effort of several law enforcement agencies working together."
Authorities were questioning another man as of late Thursday, who was being held in Humphreys County, Miss. James Lucas, the man being held in Humphreys County, Miss., was merely "under investigation." He was being questioned regarding the Wednesday night incident and was not charged with a crime, a Humphreys County sheriff's official said.
Stan Carroll/The Commercial Appeal via AP Photo
Mississippi Highway Murders: Killer Posing as Cop?
Watch Video On Thursday night police could not say whether the two recent incidents were related to the earlier fatal shootings. "We're just going to say these are isolated incidents in our county and we're going to deal with that first," Sam Dobbins, an investigator with the Humphreys County Sheriff's Office, told ABCNews.com.
However, Dobbins added, other police agencies in the state, including the Mississippi Department of Investigation, also were investigating, apparently giving the case a broader scope.
At least one detail may not match up to those reported in the fatal shootings: Wednesday's incidents involved a blue Mercury Grand Marquis, possibly the one Lucas was driving when he was pulled over around noon today in Yazoo City, Miss., according to ABC News affiliate WAPT in Jackson, Miss.
The fatal incidents, however, were believed to involve a gold-colored Ford Crown Victoria.
"The Bureau of Investigation and Crime Laboratory dedicated all resources available to this investigation," Public Safety Commissioner Albert Santa Cruz said. "Our citizens have been terrorized by these murders and we worked tirelessly to resolve them."
Drivers Told "Don't Pull Over" by Police
The Humphreys County incidents occurred after Mississippi authorities urged drivers to question whether anyone pulling them over really was a police officer.
"We urge everyone to be cautious while driving, especially at night," the Tate County Sheriff's Office posted on its Facebook page. "If someone attempts to pull you over with flashing lights and you feel unsure of stopping, DON'T PULL OVER. Use your cell phone and dial 911 and if it's a real officer then the dispatcher will confirm it for you and if it's not a real officer they will send help to you."
"Our deputies have been told not to overreact if someone does not immediately pull over," the sheriff's office wrote. "Your safety is our primary concern."
沒有留言:
張貼留言