Mississippi
Mississippi officers accused of shooting a mother in the head during a car chase
For more than two years, Sherita Harris has been waiting for someone to be held responsible for a bullet that struck her in the head while she rode in the passenger seat of a car in Jackson, Mississippi.
On Friday, the mother of five finally got a sign.
The Mississippi Attorney General’s Office announced that two state police officers have been charged in the shooting, which left her with a partially paralyzed face, permanent memory loss and damaged sight and hearing.
“It’s been so long, I thought they forgot and were going to sweep it under the rug,” Harris, 40, said, her speech halting and slurred from the gunshot wound. “It brings me a little joy.”
Mississippi Capitol Police Officer Michael Rhinewalt and former officer Jeffery Walker were each indicted by a state grand jury on aggravated assault charges, accused of shooting Harris “under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life.” Rhinewalt and Walker were also accused of shooting at Harris’ friend, who was driving. The officers have said they opened fire after the friend, Sinatra Jordan, shot at them during a chase, which Jordan denies.
The indictments were handed down in December; the state Attorney General’s Office announced them Friday afternoon.
Lawyer Scott Gilbert, who is representing Rhinewalt, said in an email that the officer “acted appropriately when he returned fire after being shot at by the suspect” and was confident he would “be vindicated at trial.”
Walker’s lawyer, Francis Springer, said in an email that Walker “maintains his innocence, but must not make any comments before trial.” Walker is also facing federal civil rights charges alleging that he beat a motorist during an arrest in July 2022, a month before Harris’ shooting. He has pleaded not guilty in that case.
Justin Smith, who is representing Harris in a $3 million lawsuit against Mississippi authorities, said he did not expect the news because the state Attorney General’s Office rarely charges police officers in shootings.
“I’m just shocked and surprised the AG’s office took the initiative and they are indicting the officers,” Smith said.
The state Attorney General’s Office said in a statement that it would not comment on the case because it is in “active litigation.”
Sean Tindell, the commissioner of the state Department of Public Safety, which oversees the Capitol Police, said in a statement that Rhinewalt had been placed on unpaid leave pending an internal hearing. Walker, he said, left the Capitol Police in July 2023.
Since Harris’ Aug. 14, 2022, shooting, the Department of Public Safety has created an internal affairs division to independently handle complaints against officers, Tindell said. Capitol Police officers now wear body cameras; Walker and Rhinewalt were not wearing cameras at the time of Harris’ shooting.
Harris has no recollection of getting shot. The last thing she remembers is her friend, Jordan, saying the police were pulling them over. She woke up in a hospital three days later, face torn apart.
The officers, both new hires at the Capitol Police as part of a crackdown on crime in Jackson, said Jordan led them on a chase through downtown after fleeing a traffic stop. Walker testified in a September 2022 hearing that he and Rhinewalt opened fire on the car after Jordan fired at them first. Walker described a rolling gun battle that ended in a residential neighborhood. Walker said he saw objects thrown from the car during the chase but that the items had not been found. Their patrol car was not hit by bullets, he said.
Jordan, who has been held in jail since the incident while awaiting trial on charges of fleeing and aggravated assault on police officers, disputed Walker’s account of how the chase started, the route it took and where shots were fired. In letters and interviews, Jordan has said he didn’t have a gun and did not throw anything from the car. He also said officers beat him up, which was corroborated by a witness interviewed by NBC News. He and his lawyers could not be reached for comment Friday.
After the chase ended and Jordan was arrested, officers searched the car and found no gun, Walker testified. But they did find Harris suffering from a gunshot wound.
The witness previously told NBC News that she heard one of the officers exclaim, “Oh my God, oh my God” after discovering Harris.
Harris said she required surgeries to remove a bullet and repair her left eye and ear. The left side of her face remains partly paralyzed, and she struggles to chew food. She said suffers from depression and PTSD. She gets by with the help of a caregiver and rarely leaves home.
The indictments, Harris said, brought her a bit of relief from her pain.
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Millions of Americans live with post-traumatic stress disorder, and this June, mental health experts at the Jackson VA Hospital are urging Mississippi veterans not to wait to get help.
June is PTSD Awareness Month, a nationwide effort to combat stigma and connect those struggling with trauma to available resources. At the Jackson VA Hospital, counselors say the disorder is far more common than most people realize, and it rarely looks the way Hollywood portrays it.
“What we typically see is individuals who are trying their best to manage with an insurmountable amount of negative emotions, anger, fear, shame, guilt, sadness, regret,” said Alex Rakhshan, manager of the PTSD Residential Program at the Jackson VA Hospital. “And they’ve done their best. They’ve done the best they can to manage through.”
Rakhshan, a licensed psychologist with nearly 10 years of experience, says one of the biggest barriers to treatment is avoidance, and it doesn’t always look the way people expect.
“Avoidance takes many forms, such as working really hard, doing a lot of work in the community, volunteering, staying really focused on the needs of other people,” Rakhshan said. “And while that is laudable, ultimately it serves as a way to stay away from and push away some of those challenging beliefs.”
Rakhshan says PTSD affects all ages and walks of life, not just combat veterans. Natural disasters, car accidents, childhood abuse and neglect can all be triggers. However, veterans face a higher prevalence of the disorder due to the elevated dangers of military service.
Treatment at the VA has changed dramatically over the last decade. Veterans can now receive therapy from the comfort of their own homes through video health technology. Shorter treatment options, like written exposure therapy, a five-session program, are also now widely available, lowering the barrier for veterans hesitant to commit to a full course of treatment.
Iraq War veteran Mike Watkins knows that barrier well. Watkins served as a medic, deploying to Iraq in October 2003 and returning in November 2004. He was stationed in Balad, Taji, Fallujah, Samarra and Mosul. After coming home, he spent years managing hypervigilance, avoiding crowds and struggling to readjust to civilian life before seeking treatment.
“Whether you got a performance car or you’re just trying to take care of your body or you’re cleaning up your house, maintenance is key,” Watkins said. “The way you create muscles is by ripping and regrowing new ones. That’s a metaphor for what you’re doing emotionally.”
Rakhshan says the first step doesn’t have to be intimidating. “They can just give us a call. We don’t lock you in. You don’t need a signature on a form guaranteeing you’re going to show up. We’re here to serve,” Rakhshan said.
The Jackson VA Hospital offers a range of PTSD treatment options, from in-person counseling to medication to video therapy from home. Veterans and their caregivers are encouraged to contact the Jackson VA Hospital to learn more. No appointment is needed to make that first call.
PTSD affects an estimated 12 million Americans in any given year, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
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Mississippi
Post-Tropical Storm Arthur unleashes High Risk Level 4 flood threat to Mississippi | Latest Weather Clips | FOX Weather
Post-Tropical Storm Arthur unleashes High Risk Level 4 flood threat to Mississippi
The Mississippi coastline is under a rare Level 4 out of 4 High Risk flood threat as remnants of Post-Tropical Storm Arthur continue fueling hazards through late week. FOX Weather Correspondent Brandy Campbell brings us the latest live from Biloxi, Mississippi, where rain is already falling:
Odds of winning the Powerball and Mega Millions are NOT in your favor
Odds of hitting the jackpot in Mega Millions or Powerball are around 1-in-292 million. Here are things that you’re more likely to land than big bucks.
The Mississippi Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 17, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mississippi Match 5 numbers from June 17 drawing
03-06-10-13-24
Check Mississippi Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from June 17 drawing
Midday: 6-1-7, FB: 4
Evening: 6-4-0, FB: 5
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from June 17 drawing
Midday: 9-8-4-1, FB: 4
Evening: 9-1-2-3, FB: 5
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from June 17 drawing
Midday: 09
Evening: 11
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Story continues below gallery.
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
Winnings of $599 or less can be claimed at any authorized Mississippi Lottery retailer.
Prizes between $600 and $99,999, may be claimed at the Mississippi Lottery Headquarters or by mail. Mississippi Lottery Winner Claim form, proper identification (ID) and the original ticket must be provided for all claims of $600 or more. If mailing, send required documentation to:
Mississippi Lottery Corporation
P.O. Box 321462
Flowood, MS
39232
If your prize is $100,000 or more, the claim must be made in person at the Mississippi Lottery headquarters. Please bring identification, such as a government-issued photo ID and a Social Security card to verify your identity. Winners of large prizes may also have the option of setting up electronic funds transfer (EFT) for direct deposits into a bank account.
Mississippi Lottery Headquarters
1080 River Oaks Drive, Bldg. B-100
Flowood, MS
39232
Mississippi Lottery prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing date. For detailed instructions and necessary forms, please visit the Mississippi Lottery claim page.
When are the Mississippi Lottery drawings held?
- Cash 3: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
- Cash 4: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
- Match 5: Daily at 9:30 p.m. CT.
- Cash Pop: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Mississippi editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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