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NATCHEZ — Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten said Tuesday he will not be pressured into releasing the name of the suspected shooter in the Friday night killing at the Shell station simply so a group of people can seek vigilante justice.

Jammie Keating was killed after he went to his vehicle, retrieved a gun and re-entered the Shell station convenience store on U.S. 61 North to confront a man with whom he had been arguing. The argument reportedly began over a cup of ice which was knocked over, the sheriff said.

Patten said once he re-entered the store, Keating immediately confronted the shooter. The argument turned physical when Keating assaulted the shooter. The shooter, in return, pulled his gun and shot Keating multiple times.

Patten said video, audio and witness statements corroborate those events.

Patten has received some criticism for not releasing the name of the other person involved in the incident.

“I am absolutely sticking with my decision not to name the other individual involved,” Patten said. “That is not uncommon.”

Patten named two cases from the last several years in which his office did not release the names before a grand jury made decisions based on evidence.

“For those people who are demanding that I release the name, making online threats of vigilante justice, we are taking screenshots of every nasty post and every threat against the person and their family,” he said.

“What I need the citizens of Adams County to know is when it comes to doing our job, it has never been a Black, white, or Hispanic thing. I have never arrested a person based on them being black, white, yellow, or blue. We make decisions based on the crime they commit, the evidence collected and the circumstances corroborated.

“I will not be pressured by the public so some in the public can seek their vengeance. What the public should be doing is praying for the families on both sides of this. Two families were destroyed when that incident occurred.

“What we are going to do is present it to the grand jury, and that’s the right thing to do,” Patten said. “What I will not do is let these critics make this into a Black and white issue. That is not what this is.

“It was a very unfortunate incident where someone ended up losing their life, and it could have been completely avoided. If either of the people involved would have called the law, or would have simply left the scene, this could have been completely avoided.”

Patten said he has the right to withhold information if releasing it could cause more violence or hinder prosecution of a crime.

“I have the right to withhold that information if I feel a propensity of more violence would be created by releasing it or taint this case from being prosecuted properly,” he said. “Once the grand jury determines which direction we should go, I will be more than happy to release more information and details on this case. In the meantime, I will pray for both families and hope this community does the same.”