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Grace United Methodist Church of Natchez minister the Rev. Nance Hixon prays Wednesday evening near the site of Tuesday’s fatal shooting on East Franklin Street in Natchez. Hixon said he thought it was important to respond promptly to the tragic event and to pray for healing. “Some people wouldn’t be comfortable coming to the location where someone was shot less than 24 hours ago,” Hixon said. “But it’s trying to bring light into a dark place and reclaim this spot through prayer.”

Police investigate the scene of a fatal shooting on East Franklin Street late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning. (Ben Hillyer/The Natchez Democrat)

Police investigate the scene of a fatal shooting on East Franklin Street late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning. (Ben Hillyer/The Natchez Democrat)

Police investigate the scene of a fatal shooting on East Franklin Street late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning. (Ben Hillyer/The Natchez Democrat)

Police investigate the scene of a fatal shooting on East Franklin Street late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning. (Ben Hillyer/The Natchez Democrat)

NATCHEZ — A man awaiting trial for a 2015 murder was shot to death and his half brother injured in a shooting Tuesday night on East Franklin Street.

Natchez Police Sgt. Jerry Ford said Lee Raymond Smith Jr. was shot and killed, and Kejuan Thompson shot multiple times.

Smith died at the scene. He was out of jail on bond and was awaiting trial after being indicted in January 2016 for murder in the 2015 shooting death of 20-year-old Jamarius Jackson at Holiday Apartments.

Thompson was airlifted to Rapides Regional Medical Center. Natchez Police Chief Daniel White said Wednesday evening that Thompson was in stable condition.

Smith and Thompson, who are half brothers, were reportedly traveling late Tuesday in a car on East Franklin Street, Ford said.

For an unknown reason, Ford said, the men pulled the car over and were apparently shot as they were exiting the vehicle. Ford said police do not know if a second vehicle was involved. He said police do not believe Smith and Thompson shot each other.

“This is an ongoing investigation, and we do not have all the facts right now,” Ford said.

Anyone with information about the shooting should contact Crime Stoppers at 601-442-5000 or the Natchez Police Department at 601-445-5565.

“It is still early in this investigation, and we need all the information the public can give us,” Ford said.

Crime Stoppers offers a reward of up to $1,000 for tips leading to the arrest and conviction of a suspect.

Police were still on scene early Wednesday morning and had blocked off East Franklin Street from Martin Luther King Jr. Street to Orange Avenue. Orange Avenue was blocked from Main Street to St. Catherine Street.  Officers and Adams County Sheriff’s Office deputies were at the scene and stationed at the roadblocks.

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