Alcorn football player shot dead on campus
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, October 9, 2001
[10/09/01]An Alcorn State University football player was shot dead and two other people were injured Monday night on the Lorman campus.
Four people were being held.
JeKelcy Johnson, 20, whose home address is 2031 Warner Road, Port Gibson, died at Claiborne County Hospital, Claiborne County Coroner J.W. Mallett said this morning.
The shooting was reported outside Men’s Tower on the Lorman campus at about 11:30 p.m.
University spokesman Ralph Payne said the four people being held were non-students who were “joyriding” on the campus.
“One of them, I understand, threw a bottle and it injured a female student,” Payne said. “That’s when JeKelcy got involved and, tragically, was shot.”
Payne identified the suspect who fired on the students as Demetric Williams of Natchez. “There’s no indication any of the individuals knew each other,” Payne said.
Kim Puttman, no age or address given, was the student hit by the bottle, Payne said. Roddel Devoual, 20, was shot in the side, Claiborne County Chief Detective Fredrick Yarbrough said.
Puttman, who was said in another report to have a gunshot wound, and Devoual were taken to Claiborne County Hospital and later transferred to University Medical Center in Jackson, Yarbrough said.
A UMC spokesman said Devoual was in stable condition. There were no records of Puttman being admitted.
Yarbrough said four Natchez people were in custody but he was not releasing names pending formal charges.
Johnson was a graduate of Port Gibson High School where he received All-District honors, according to the ASU media guide.