Natchez officials are calling in state agencies and pushing for stricter security requirements at local apartment complexes after a weekend shooting left one man dead and renewed fears about violent crime in the community.
At a press conference Monday at City Hall, Mayor Dan Gibson, Natchez Police Chief Cal Green and Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten addressed the killing of Mr. Davis, who was shot Sunday in the area of the Susan B. West Apartments.
Gibson said he has been “overwhelmed” by recent violence and by the number of residents who say they are scared.
“People are concerned. People are scared. And they have a right to be,” he said, adding that no one should have to live in a neighborhood where gunfire is common.
Gibson announced that the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI) will take the lead on the weekend homicide and a series of shootings dating back to the summer, including a June incident on Main Street.
The decision came after a morning conference call with Mississippi Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell and MBI Director Colonel Jim Herzog. According to Gibson, Herzog agreed “within minutes” to have MBI assume the investigations and coordinate directly with Natchez Police, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office and the district attorney.
MBI will be joined by the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and Homeland Security, Gibson said, bringing “fresh eyes” from outside the community to cases where some witnesses may be afraid to speak for fear of retaliation.
Gibson also warned those responsible for recent shootings that “fresh eyes are watching” and that anyone who thinks they have escaped accountability “shouldn’t push their luck.”
Sheriff Patten used the press conference to urge both the county and the city to mandate security cameras at all apartment complexes, with remote access provided to law enforcement.
Patten told reporters he had already asked the Adams County Board of Supervisors that morning to pass such an ordinance for complexes in the county and to approach the city about adopting similar rules.
Patten stressed that many residents living in the apartment complexes are “good people living in a war zone,” afraid that stray bullets could come through their walls. He praised local on-site managers but argued that ownership must step up and invest in proper surveillance systems and other security measures.
He commended the Natchez Housing Authority and complexes such as Holiday Apartments and Cedarhurst, which have upgraded lighting, installed extensive camera systems including Project NOLA cameras, and put strong managers in place who enforce lease terms strictly. Patten said those kinds of managers—who do not hesitate to evict or fine tenants for serious violations—are a major factor in keeping some properties safer than others.
Still, he noted that criminals have adapted, using wooded areas and fences between complexes, such as the land owned by Mississippi Power & Light between Cambridge Heights and Holiday, as cover to commit shootings. He called on the utility to clear those areas to reduce hiding spots.
“We need a real neighborhood stabilization plan,” Patten said, arguing that residents in high-crime complexes cannot “fight this fight alone.”
Chief Green confirmed that Maryland Heights, which is under the Housing Authority, has a robust camera system that officers can access when needed. She said Susan B. West Apartments, while privately owned, also has cameras and has been cooperative with police.
Officials agreed that Susan B. West once had a reputation for crime but that its culture has improved as management installed cameras, increased lighting and enforced rules more aggressively. Gibson said he believes Mr. Davis was specifically targeted there, calling the killing “a real sad situation.”
Green acknowledged ongoing frustration that some residents with key information are still reluctant to come forward, despite the department’s efforts to build trust.
“If that means my ego has to go on the back burner and ask for help, then that’s exactly what has to happen,” she said of bringing in MBI. “We want the people of Natchez and Adams County to feel safe at all times.”
Patten said officials are working to combat a “no snitching” mindset that discourages witnesses from cooperating. He urged residents who are fearful to use anonymous options such as Crime Stoppers rather than remain silent.
“All we want is the information. You give us the information, let us do the rest,” he said.
Gibson reminded the public that Crime Stoppers tips are confidential and can result in rewards if they lead to convictions. The local Crime Stoppers number is 1-888-442-5001.
Gibson used the platform to renew his call for statewide reforms addressing repeat violent offenders and the way judges handle bond in such cases.
Citing local data, he said roughly 80 percent of Natchez’s violent crime cases involve suspects who are repeat offenders. In some instances, he said, individuals out on bond for one violent crime have been charged with another, yet their bond remains in place and they return to the streets.
While acknowledging the constitutional principle that people are presumed innocent until proven guilty, Gibson said the state’s current approach fails to protect victims and communities, despite a Victims’ Bill of Rights that promises safety and protection from retaliation.
He said he has raised the issue with the Mississippi Municipal League, legislators, and the state Supreme Court, describing the situation as a “fatal case of 80-percent-itis”—his term for both the high share of repeat offenders among violent crime suspects and the large portion of judges he believes are too quick to release them.
Gibson likened the new push to last year’s “Operation Safe Neighborhoods,” a multi-agency effort that led to numerous arrests and, he said, made Natchez safer for several months.
He announced plans for a forthcoming joint press conference on the City Hall steps with the Board of Supervisors, city officials and surrounding agencies to formally launch a new partnership under Commissioner Tindell’s leadership.
“Our purpose today is to let the citizens of Natchez rest a little easier,” Gibson said, stressing that outside help has already been mobilized and that local leaders are aligned. “The city and the county are on the same page.”
Both Green and Patten closed by assuring residents that their concerns are heard.
“Don’t think your questions about officers fall on deaf ears,” Patten said. “You have all of our attention.”
Gibson ended the briefing by thanking the chief, the sheriff and their officers for working through the night.
“This too shall pass,” he said, adding that leaders are committed to praying for and protecting the community as they move forward with the new strategy.
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