Venue owner speaks out following weekend shooting

JACKSON, Tenn. — One business owner shares her experience after a weekend shooting leaves several injured and one dead.

The venue owner of the Picture Perfect Event Center tells us what happened just moments before shots were fired.

On Sunday, October 20 around 1:20 a.m., Jackson police responded to a shooting at a party held at the Picture Perfect Event Center at 2310 North Highland Avenue. The owner revisits what transpired just moments before.

“There were a lot of security there, there was maybe 12-15 security people on staff. I still can’t understand — as thorough as they were being — as far as checking people coming in and out, not allowing bags, not allowing purses or big jackets, or anything like that,” said Debra Jones, owner.

Debra Jones tells us it was an All Black Affair for homecoming that was not affiliated with Lane College. Jones says she has always been hesitant on letting younger crowds host events at her venue, but because it was homecoming she agreed to lease her space for the celebration.

“They’ve done the event three times before and there’s never been an incident. It’s been done well and at this time everyone was acually leaving so it had actually been a decent event all day,” said Jones.

It was after the party was over when the shots were fired inside the venue.

“I was standing at the door and as some of the people were leaving I was saying, you know, ‘Thank you guys for keeping us safe and you all get home safely.’ Because I was greeting people as they were leaving the door and as people were walking out you just heard it,” said Jones.

Jones says she did all she could to help everyone get out of the space.

“There’s a back door exit and I said ‘Well maybe some people want to get out the back.’ So I ran around to the back so I could open the door in the back to let them out. Because of the way the crowd did I guess they just went on and basically, they broke the door down,” said Jones.

Her goal when you’re in her space is safety first. Jones says she has never had an incident in the entire three and a half years they’ve been in business.

“Although everyone is stating Picture Perfect, this was not a Picture Perfect event. The space was just leased to someone. They hire their own security, so none of this had anything to do with Picture Perfect, other than the fact the space was rented by us,” said Jones.

Seven of the victims were transported to a local hospital for treatment. Of the seven, five were treated and released.

Two other victims were airlifted to a hospital in Memphis. One of the two victims taken to a Memphis hospital is now in stable condition. Unfortunately, the other victim died from her injuries around 7 a.m. Sunday.

According to JPD, while on the scene officers received little information or assistance from any of the witnesses who were at the party. This is an ongoing investigation and and anyone with information is asked to Call the Jackson Police Department at 731-425-8400 or Crime Stoppers at 731-424-8477.

The Picture Perfect Event Center will remain closed until further notice.

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