St. Joseph's Shooting

ST. JOSEPH’S, Miss.  - The town of St. Joseph’s is grieving the loss of one of its officers today, after a gunman opened fire on civilians and police in the first mass shooting in the town’s history. 

The sound of gunfire rang out in the town’s calm streets at around 5:11 p.m. and officers went to 22^nd Street and Union.

The gunman shot randomly with a high-powered assault rifle, police said.One of the bullets hit Officer Bradley Arn, as seven bullets riddled his car.

Citizens of St. Joe's mourn the loss of the officer.
Photo: Google Images

The department is conducting a standard internal review of the officer firing the shot that killed the gunman Officer Connors of St. Joseph’s Police Department stated. He later said that the “officers did their job”.

The department is taking fingerprints to identify the shooter, who had no identification but carried a backpack, pockets of ammunition, a knife, and wore camouflage and had a Mohawk haircut.

Connors said that the department was strained during these events, with all units mobilized to handle the situation.

The shooting began at 22^nd street, but headed South as the shooter headed towards Calvary Church, police said..

The chaos ensued when Officer Arn appeared to slump down after a bullet went through the back of the windshield and struck the officer in the back of the head. 

Eyewitness George Macfee, who was driving behind the officer who was shot, confirmed the story, saying that he saw the bullet strike the officer and watched as the car hopped a curb and hit a boat.

The tragedy is hitting the town and the police hard, as no officer had been shot in the line of duty since 1944 and no officer killed since 1991. 

A news conference is scheduled for 10 a.m. today.