Wednesday shooting victim dies

Published 6:00 am Friday, October 28, 2011

    There are obviously some questions in the minds of detectives who were called in Wednesday night to probe into a reported suicide of a Meridian man who died early Thursday morning.

    The case is being investigated by detectives of the Meridian Police Department as a possible homicide, MPD officials say.

    According to Meridian Police Department Capt. James Sharpe, commander of the MPD’s Criminal Investigation Division, Courtnie D. Hicks, 20, of Meridian, died as a result of complications from a single gunshot wound to the head. Sharpe says Hicks’ body has been transported to the Mississippi State Crime Lab in Jackson for an autopsy that detectives hope will determine the exact cause and manner of death.

    Sharpe says at about 9:45 p.m. Wednesday, 911 Emergency Central Dispatch received a call about an apparent suicide in the 1900 block of Ninth Avenue in which Hicks is said to have shot himself in the head. Hicks was transported to a Meridian hospital emergency room via private vehicle, Sharpe says.

    Detectives are currently interviewing witnesses and collecting additional evidence in association with the case.

    Detectives also ask that anyone who has information on this incident, to please contact the Meridian Police Department at (601) 485-1893, (601) 485-1859 or Crime Stoppers at (601) 485-1860.