Police search for suspect in shooting that killed teenager

JACKSON, Tenn. — Rain falls steadily over a neighborhood in west Jackson, but residents say the night before brought an even bigger storm.

“It’s terrible, but we definitely have gang activity,” Horace Hill said, a resident of the area.

Jackson police say they responded to a shots fired call on Raintree Cove Saturday just before 1 a.m.

Investigators confirm a teenager was rushed to the hospital where he later died.

The South Side High School football team is identifying the victim as 16-year-old Darius Vaughn, a sophomore with plans to play football for the school in the fall.

Crime watch signs line the neighborhood, but Hill said they haven’t stopped the violence.

“Every now and then, something every few months or so, something crazy in this area will go down,” Hill said.

Hill said he didn’t hear the shots, but awoke to a phone call from a friend asking if he was alright.

“They call it snitching, but if you’re going to live around here you need to look out for your neighborhood,” he said.

Zion Ross

Jackson police say they’re searching for 16-year-old Zion Ross for questioning in connection to the shooting.

Officers say Ross is an escapee from the Department of Children’s Services custody with an active warrant for criminal impersonation.

As police look for answers, neighbors like Hill are searching for ways to stop the violence.

“We just need to be neighborly, and look out for one another,” Hill said. “That’s what we all need to do everywhere.”

According to court documents, Zion Ross was previously charged in a homicide last year.

If you know any information about his whereabouts, contact the Jackson Police Department at 731-425-8400.