A fatal shooting has police searching for witnesses

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A plea for help after a young man is gunned down just days before Christmas.

Lowndes County investigators believe there are witnesses.

Those deputies also want you to know you can help them solve this crime anonymously.

Crime scene tape lays in the shadows of Christmas decorations on Kaye Drive and blood stains the pavement.

The Columbus Heights neighborhood was lit up like a holiday show-turned nightmare on Tuesday night after 22-year-old Lamaceo Smith was found shot to death.

He was found near a community center parking lot with a gunshot wound to the chest.

“It’s never a good time to have to relay this kind of information to a family member that their loved one is deceased. But this time of year, at Christmas time, when we are all supposed to be celebrating a wonderful occasion, you know, we’re out here delivering bad news,” said Sheriff Eddie Hawkins.

Smith lived in this neighborhood and this is where someone gunned him down.

“Somebody knows something and somebody was there. Somebody saw something and we just need that information,” said Sheriff Hawkins.

Lowndes County deputies are hoping someone will use crime stoppers or the P3 tips app to help them find a killer

“We were at a meeting, a town hall meeting down in Crawford last night when we got the call about this shooting. We were in that meeting talking about this particular topic…about people not coming forward and not giving us information as we need it,” said Sheriff Hawkins.  “It’s important that we get the information quickly so that we can act on this information and keep somebody else from getting hurt.

Those tips, no matter how strange or seemingly insignificant, could be the miracle needed in this homicide investigation.

“Maybe we could bring people to justice and give some family some closure at this time of year,” said Sheriff Hawkins.

Coroner Greg Merchant says an autopsy will be done at the State Medical Examiner’s office.