Late Friday evening, Vicksburg Chief of Police Penny Jones said an incident that occurred earlier that day and quickly gained traction on social media was incorrectly reported by some media outlets as a carjacking, but was actually a “domestic-related dispute.”

The incident, which took place Friday night in a Vicksburg neighborhood, involved a female who called 911 to report her car being stolen, later adding that her three-month-old child was inside the stolen vehicle. The child was later located with family members and law enforcement said there was a lack of evidence to support carjacking or kidnapping charges.

“The Vicksburg Police Department would like to provide accurate information regarding an incident initially reported as a carjacking,” Jones explained. “After a thorough investigation, we have determined that this was a domestic-related dispute between two individuals in a relationship, not a carjacking. ”

Jones said initial reports that a young child was involved in the incident were not entirely accurate and she wanted to assure citizens the situation was quickly controlled.

“The victim originally called 911 stating that her vehicle had been taken by a known suspect, later identified as her boyfriend,” Jones said. “She provided the suspect’s name and a possible location but did not initially mention that a baby was involved. Officers later discovered that the baby may have already been with the victim’s friend at the time of the incident. The friend later took the baby to the victim’s mother after police became involved.

“According to the victim’s statements, she and the suspect were in the vehicle together when an argument escalated into a physical altercation inside the car. They both exited the vehicle, continued arguing, and the suspect then got back in and drove away. This sequence of events does not meet the legal definition of carjacking. Instead, the case is being handled as a domestic violence incident, and warrants will be issued for the suspect.”

Jones said additional information is also being gathered.

“Additionally, a video has surfaced on social media where the victim’s friend states that she had the baby and that the victim may have misrepresented the situation to authorities in an attempt to retrieve her car after the argument,” Jones said. “We understand the concerns of the community, especially given the initial report of a carjacking. However, we want to reassure everyone that there is no unknown carjacking suspect at large. This remains an ongoing investigation, and we appreciate the public’s patience as we ensure the facts are properly gathered and addressed. The safety of our community is our priority, and we encourage everyone to rely on verified information from law enforcement.”