16-year-old shot in Warren County, suspect in custody

A teenager was shot in Warren County Tuesday, prompting a brief search by the Warren County Sheriff’s Office leading to the arrest of 43-year-old Jason Hendrix. Deputies also recovered the suspect’s weapon

Just after 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, August 10, WCSO deputies responded to an incident at the 6600 block of Halls Ferry Road on reports of shots fired and an individual wounded.

The home on Halls Ferry. (File Photo taken July 5 2021) Photo by David Day

Arriving deputies encountered two teenage males in a vehicle. One of the juveniles, a 16-year-old whose identity has not been released, was suffering a gunshot wound to his leg and the vehicle sustained damage consistent with being shot with a firearm.

The wounded teenager was transported to Merit Health River Region for treatment. His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

The Warren County Sheriff’s Office ascertained that the teenagers were shot at by a homeowner on Halls Ferry Road, however, details of the events leading up to the shooting remain under investigation.

With no sign of the suspect, who was presumed to be armed and dangerous, deputies proceeded to secure the scene and block traffic until it could be confirmed that the area was safe.

“We knew we had an armed individual, we didn’t know exactly where he was,” Sheriff Pace said. “If he were to shoot at us, we didn’t want him to accidentally shoot someone passing on the road.”

Lead investigator Sgt. Stacy Rollison obtained and executed a search warrant for the suspect’s property, and approached with caution as they were unable to determine if the individual was still in the area.

As deputies were completing their search, they received a tip that would lead to the suspect, and Hendrix was swiftly taken into custody still in possession of the firearm believed to have been used in the shooting.

“We received a tip that someone with a gun was walking on 9-mile-cutoff, which is a little over a mile from where we are standing,” Pace said in an exclusive on-scene interview with Vicksburg Daily News.

Hendrix will be held without the benefit of bail until his initial appearance in court on two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Pace expressed his gratitude for the engaged and cooperative community that assisted the investigation and provided the tip that led to the arrest. He went on to thank motorists on Halls Ferry for their patience with the three-hour closure of the busy thoroughfare that was necessary to ensure the safety of the community at large.

“We are thankful that no one was seriously injured and we do have the suspect in custody,” Pace said.