Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace comforts one of the children who were in an apartment at Forest Hills during a fatal shooting Monday.(Jon Giffin The Vicksburg Post)

[10/28/03]A Jackson man who had apparently moved into a Vicksburg apartment in recent days was shot to death in the apartment Monday afternoon while three children were present.

Killed was Darrell Dwayne Kemper, 27, at Forest Hills Apartments, 320 Fisher Ferry Road.

His assailant drove away, and while authorities think they know who did the shooting, they did not release a name. Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace said a warrant identifying the suspect may be issued today.

Kisha Reed, whose apartment is near the one Kemper is believed to have shared with the mother of the three children, said she heard four gunshots and saw a man with a gun drive away.

“I just heard arguing and then I heard shots,” Reed said, standing near the apartment where Kemper was killed about 3:35 p.m..

She said she saw a man walk into the Kemper apartment and then heard two shots.

“Then (the suspect) walked outside and said don’t steal from me,'” Reed said. “And then he walked back inside and shot him two more times.”

The three children were ages 18 months to 9 years and their mother, who leased the apartment, arrived at the apartment after the shooting and picked up the children. Pace talked with the children before they left.

Warren County Coroner John Thomason said, “From all initial indications it looks like (Kemper) was shot twice,” but an autopsy was scheduled for today at Mississippi Mortuary Services in Rankin County.

The apartment maintenance manager, Andy Arthur, said Kemper had just moved into the apartment about two to three weeks ago.

“He was a real nice guy,” Arthur said.