Jackson police: 19-year-old admits to killing man with pink rifle at Parham Bridges courts
Jackson police arrested 19-year-old Daveon Lindsey Wednesday afternoon in connection to the shooting death of a man whose body was found at a tennis court at Parham Bridges Park in the 5000 block of Old Canton Road in north Jackson.
According to Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade, Lindsey admitted to shooting 29-year-old Melvin McNair Jr., "multiple times."
"Northeast Jackson you can return to Parham Bridges Park. It is safe, and we will definitely have a stronger footprint in that park as we move forward with our park ranger detail," Wade said at a Wednesday press conference.
Wade said JPD began investigating the shooting incident Wednesday morning at the Parham Bridges Park.
Wade said due to "new technology," JPD was able to ping Lindsey's phone to determine his location, which was at a Walgreens parking lot not far from the park. Wade said Lindsey had been driving around in the north Jackson area in McNair’s maroon GMC Sierra pickup truck.
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Wade said authorities attempted to box Lindsey in, but Lindsey "made contact" with one of JPD detective's vehicles. The detective was not injured.
Wade said this led to a 3 to 4-mile pursuit in north Jackson. According to Wade, Lindsey was "lawless" and would not stop for law enforcement.
Wade said Lindsey eventually crashed the vehicle into a pole near a Jackson Fire Department precinct on Ridgewood Road, which is less than 10 minutes away from where the shooting occurred.
A second vehicle received damage in the chase near Adkins Drive and Beasley Road, Wade said. Wade told reporters the person occupying the vehicle was injured.
Wade provided even more details stating Lindsey had "the victim’s blood on him. He was still in the victim’s vehicle. He still had the murder weapon. He had the victim’s credit cards on him. He’s absolutely a reckless and dangerous person, who took a person’s life with a pink assault rifle.”
In addition to police findings, Wade revealed during the press conference that he knew McNair and McNair's father. McNair is also the nephew of a Jackson police officer, Wade said.
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Wade said the victim "was an amazing, outstanding young man," who worked three jobs. Wade also told reporters McNair's father was "tragically" killed last year.
"(The victim's father) was one of my masonic brothers, and I actually took a photo with him the day before he was killed," Wade said. "So, when I received this phone call this morning about this young man losing his life, it hurt. It really hit home."
At this time, police do not know if the victim and suspect knew each other prior to the incident. Police also do not know the motive behind the shooting.
"This is very disturbing, but I want the Northeast Jackson community to know (and) the McNair family to know, that we were very laser focused on getting this individual into custody. If he is a danger to Mr. McNair, then he is a danger to everyone in the City of Jackson."
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Arrest in Jackson MS murder at Parham Bridges Park on Old Canton Road
