Update 12:08 p.m. — Natchez police are searching for a suspect believed to be involved in the death of a Natchez teenager.

Natchez Police Department Detective Jerry Ford said officers responded to calls of shots fired in the area of East Woodlawn Avenue at approximately 9 p.m. Monday and found Jessie Taylor, 16, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, lying in the street.

Taylor was responsive on the scene, but could only tell officers he had been shot, Ford said.

Investigators found several 9 mm shell casings on the street, but weren’t able to recover the weapon from which the casings were fired, Ford said.

Investigators did, however, recover a .380-cal. pistol they believe belonged to Taylor, but no shell casings were recovered that matched that weapon, Ford said.

After officers spoke with witnesses on scene, Ford said at least one person saw Taylor in an altercation with someone else before the shots were fired.

Ford said investigators are continuing to speak to witnesses to find the alleged shooter and piece together more details about the incident.

Anyone with information about the shooting can call Crime Stoppers at 601-442-5000. Crime Stoppers offers rewards of up to $1,000 for tips leading to the arrest and conviction of a suspect. Callers may remain anonymous.

 

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NATCHEZ — A Natchez teenager died early this morning from multiple gunshot wounds following a shooting near Beaumont Street Monday night.

Jessie Taylor, 16, was pronounced dead at 1:10 a.m. Tuesday at Natchez Regional Medical Center, Adams County Coroner James Lee said.

Taylor was shot multiple times on Prentiss Street near East Woodlawn Avenue and Beaumont Street in Natchez at approximately 9:30 p.m. Monday. Further details of the shooting have not been made available by the Natchez Police Department.

Lee said the gunshot wounds in Taylor’s lower chest and back are likely the ones that resulted in his death, but also said that information wouldn’t be verified until a full autopsy result was returned.

Medical personnel made several attempts to revive Taylor at the hospital, Lee said, in an effort to transport him to a Jackson hospital for further treatment. Those efforts ultimately failed, and Taylor died at NRMC, Lee said.

“This is just a terrible tragedy,” Lee said.