No evidence man shot at Mississippi church reached for gun

LAUREL, Miss. (AP) — Proof reveals a reserve sheriff’s deputy who fatally shot a person at a Mississippi church punched the sufferer within the face and chased him right into a car parking zone earlier than capturing him and kicking him within the head, in response to testimony at a latest bond listening to.

Nonetheless, WDAM-TV experiences, there’s no proof that the sufferer began a bodily battle or first reached for the gun of the reserve deputy, George Ryan Walters, in response to testimony from Mississippi Bureau of Investigation Particular Agent Zachary Summers describing church safety video.

The Jones County Sheriff’s Division had stated James Corey Donald was shot throughout an altercation with Walters. Preliminary statements from Jones County Sheriff Joe Berlin indicated Donald could have reached for Walter’s gun.

Walters has been charged with second-degree homicide within the April 3 capturing of dying of the 45-year-old Donald at The Rock Church in Laurel. A lawyer for Walters didn’t instantly reply to an e-mail Monday in search of remark.

Walters is an unpaid Jones County reserve deputy who attends the church and is a member of the church’s safety group. A 2016 Mississippi regulation gives authorized protections to folks designated by church buildings to endure firearms coaching and supply safety.

Walters handed out through the bond listening to and was taken from the courthouse in an ambulance.

Summers stated post-mortem outcomes recommend Donald died from a gunshot wound to the again. He testified that there have been additionally indicators of inside bleeding across the mind and abrasions to Donald’s head.

Jones County Circuit Choose Dal Williamson has assigned Simpson County District Lawyer Chris Hennis to prosecute the case. Hennis will resolve whether or not to hunt an indictment as soon as MBI brokers full their inquiry.