Business owners react to Friday’s shooting in Jackson

JACKSON, Tenn. — Local business owners and their employees shared their thoughts about the fatal shooting Friday evening involving the killing of a minor and one young adult.

One business owner on the scene of the crime says she thought it was a car crash, but was devastated to find out it was a murder.

David Williamson, an employee in the City of Jackson, says he was not present when the shooting happened near the interstate, but says he works close by.

“The rise in crime seems to be tied to the lax bail laws and perhaps the lax sentencing that some repeat offenders seem to, tend to receive over and over again,” Williamson said.

Dennis Pritchett, owner of Radd’s Mobile Maintenance & More, says crime wouldn’t be as rampant if parents would take more time with their kids.

“It starts at home. Nobody knows what they’re dealing with at home or who they’re dealing with at home or who they’re dealing with. I was raised with a belt, you know what I’m saying. You get out of line, you get popped,” said Dennis Pritchett,

He says he believes the police force is doing everything that they can to keep the community safe.

“Every time I see one I thank them for what they do for keeping us as safe as they can. I mean, they can’t be everywhere every time. Maybe they can follow up more on previous incidents if some were related to something else,” Pritchett said.

Chip Holland, owner of The Range, says most of the gun violence, if not all, is committed with illegal guns and people who don’t know how to properly handle weapons.

“I can see people that will buy a gun and think, ‘I own a gun and I am safe.’ Well it’s like you can buy a guitar and that does not make you a musician,” Holland said.

Holland says enforcing the laws that already exist is the key to keeping crime low.

“You can’t legislate away crime. You can punish people who are committing crime. That’s how you can truly make a difference,” Holland said.

WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News has reached out to the Jackson Police Department to find out more information about what happened that Friday.

Unfortunately, local investigators were unable to give us more information on what happened.

Local law enforcement says they are doing everything that they can to find out more information.

Find more local crime updates here.