Jackson residents react to Dallas shooting

JACKSON, Tenn. — The heartbreak in Dallas can be felt here in Tennessee.

“It’s really sad,” Jackson resident Linda Kilpatrick said. “I heard it on the news and it really touched my heart.”

“This is really tragic for all the people that were involved, and we’ll be praying for all families,” Valerie Bond, another Jackson resident, said.

Five officers were killed and seven others were injured Thursday night, making it the deadliest day for police since 9/11. This is something that hits home for a lot of people in the community.

“I just started crying,” Jackson resident Sally Dwyer said. “I became very emotional because I have policemen who are good friends of mine.”

Others want people to stop using stereotypes.

“I just thought it was horrible. I absolutely hate when people label an entire group,” Mohammad Salem said. “Not all police officers are racist and not all African-Americans are criminals.”

Dr. Darrell Coleman, pastor of Mother Liberty C.M.E. Church, lived in Dallas for over 20 years and says frustrations are growing in Jackson as well.

“There is a growing frustration that’s developing and people have lost hope in the system,” Coleman said. “They are really believing that black lives have been devalued.”

He says we’ve seen this one too many times.

“We’ve seen too many incidents of just senseless killings,” Coleman said. “So it really concerns me that even in this community that those same frustrations exist under the surface.”

People say it’s time to put differences aside and come together.

“Everybody needs to come together and sit down and come to a resolution for this,” Bond said.

“I think Jackson is already coming together as a community, because they are already doing various prayer groups around town,” Dwyer said.