Mother says Southern Miss football player MJ Daniels was sleeping in car when killed
Adrian Jackson, mother of Southern Miss football player MJ Daniels, who was shot and killed in Hattiesburg this week, posted a seven-minute video on Facebook on Saturday giving details not released by police about the shooting.
The video shows two cars, a brown Chevy pickup truck and a two-door black Dodge Challenger, that Jackson said belonged to Daniels. She said Daniels was shot once in the back of the neck while sleeping in the driver’s seat of the Challenger.
"In the summer it's what he always did," Jackson said. "He's a country boy. He'd pull up and go to sleep."
Jackson panned around the Challenger showing a shattered small window on the passenger’s side with a bullet hole. She also showed a large dent above the driver’s door, which she said was caused by someone trying to break into the car. When the driver’s door opened, there were multiple splotches of what Jackson said was dried blood on the seat and door frame.
Hattiesburg Police said it responded to a call at 9:29 p.m. Tuesday of shots fired at the 6300 block of Highway 49. Daniels was found unresponsive at the scene in his vehicle.
Three arrests were made Friday in connection to Daniels’ death: Orlando May, 18, of Hattiesburg, Allen Marcus Gardner, 17 of Houston, and Samir Green, 16, of Hattiesburg. All three face charges of capital murder and attempted armed carjacking. They will all make their initial court appearances on Monday at 11 a.m. and are being charged as adults.
“They took my baby’s life over this,” Jackson said. “I want their mamas to see this. Look at what I have to look at. Look at it. This is what I have to see.”
MORE: How family, friends honored Southern Miss’ MJ Daniels at George County memorial
A different person at the end of the video climbed into the driver’s seat and revved the engine of the Challenger.
“I love y’all,” she said. “Keep praying for us. That right there, I feel the prayers. I do.”
Sam Sklar is the Southern Miss beat reporter for the Hattiesburg American. Email him at ssklar@hattiesb.gannett.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
This article originally appeared on Hattiesburg American: Southern Miss football: MJ Daniels sleeping when killed. mom says
