City takes action on Mulberry and Jacques after the Convention Center is hit with gunfire

The Mayor and Board of Aldermen for the City have voted to have Jacques and The Mulberry provide a memorandum of understanding to keep the public safe after it was revealed that the Convention Center was hit with gunfire in the July 5 shooting in the parking lot of the Mulberry and Jacques.

The damaged window on the convention center was hit by gunfire on July 5. Photo by David Day

Vicksburg Police found 117 shell casings in the parking lot at the location after at least four weapons fired at least 117 rounds that hit vehicles, flood walls, and the convention center. No injuries were reported in the shooting.

“A long-standing of issues on the property,” said Mayor George Flaggs, Jr. about the situation.

“It’s gang related,” said Vicksburg Police Chief Penny Jones.

After the revelations that the Convention Center was hit with gunfire from the early morning shooting on July 5, the Mayor and Board of Aldermen for the City of Vicksburg unanimously voted to give the property owner of the Mulberry and their lessee, Jacques, 10 days to come up with a memorandum of understanding on how they intend to move forward and protect the public.

The retaining wall was riddled with bullets. Photo by David Day

“The Mulberry has the use and control of the parking lot,” said the city of Vicksburg Attorney, Monica Allen.

The Vicksburg Police Department has set up a command center and a mobile camera at the location of the shooting on the adjacent property that belongs to Bunge. Bunge cameras were pointed towards the parking lot of Jacques/The Mulberry.

According to Chief Jones, two bullets hit the Convention Center, causing damage to a window and the structure.

On May 6, 2023, another shooting on the parking lot near the same location injured 4 security guards for Jacques, according to Chief Jones. One person has been served with warrants for that incident, and other warrants have yet to be served.

The Vicksburg Daily News reached out to The Mulberry and Jacques for comment on this story. At the time of this report, Angela Neilsen, manager at Jacques responded via messenger, “I’m not aware of any actions. To my knowledge neither is Jay, I just spoke to him about 15 min. ago.”