Stamfordofficerwho struck and killed pastor was responding to car accident, police said.
Jul. 28—Stamford Police Officer Zachary Lockwood struck Jackson near his Wire Mill Road home around 4:10 p.m. Wednesday, according to a Connecticut State Police report. The Stamford State's Attorney's Office requested the state police conduct the investigation.
Jackson, 69, was a well-known pastor who was active in the community.
The report said the 24-year-old Lockwood was traveling eastbound near a curve on Wire Mill Road when he struck Jackson, who was crossing the road after retrieving items from his mailbox.
"Upon observing Jackson, Lockwood made an evasive steering maneuver, entering into the westbound lane," the state police report stated.
Lockwood performed CPR on Jackson until medics arrived, Stamford Police Chief Timothy Shaw said in a news release issued Thursday. Jackson was rushed to Stamford Hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said.
State police did not say how fast Lockwood was traveling when the crash occurred.
Lockwood has been with Stamford's police department since April 2022. He was placed on paid administrative leave, "as is a customary protocol for this type of incident," and is receiving peer support from the department, Connecticut State Police Lt. Katharine Cummings said Friday.
The investigation will include the collection of evidence and an analysis of all police video of the crash, state police said Friday.
Jackson was a pastor at Rehoboth Fellowship Church and Faith Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church, and the city's assistant director of the Urban Redevelopment Commission. His wife is a Stamford police commissioner.
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Shaw said Friday during the news conference that Jackson's death was a loss to the community.
"All of us want answers as to what occurred this week," Shaw said. "I know that the expertise of the state police major crimes and collision reconstruction teams will result in answers to our questions. As we grieve the death of Rev. Jackson, I asked our residents to be patient as the investigation continues. I know that these types of investigations may take time, and I know that all of us look forward to learning about how events unfolded."
As word spread of Jackson's death, tributes from municipal officials, friends and clergy poured in this week.
"He was a larger-than-life figure, someone who had an indelible impact on our community and someone who touched the lives of so many through his lifelong commitment to faith and public service," Mayor Caroline Simmons said at Friday's news conference. "We're all mourning together, and I know I'm going to greatly miss his infectious smile, his energy, his wonderful sense of humor."
Stamford Assistant Police Chief Silas Redd said the community was a "state of shock (and) disbelief," and said Jackson was a "friend and partner" to the department.
"Pastor Jackson was such a beacon of light to so many in this multicultural community for the past 25 years," Redd said. "His steadfast commitment to serve those under his guidance of his pastorate extended far and wide and he was oftentimes a voice for the voiceless."
The Rev. Johnny Bush, of Greater Faith Tabernacle Baptist Church in Stamford, said Jackson had dinner with fellow clergy less than 24 hours before the crash.
"I realize that that could have been his last dinner he had when I think about that, so we're just trying to process what that means," Bush said.
The Rev. Dawn Snell, of Stamford's Union Baptist Church, said she will lean on her faith to cope with the loss of Jackson.
"We've been hit these last three years. We've lost (people) to COVID that were very close to us," including Jack Bryant, the former leader of Stamford's NAACP chapter, Snell said. "So, as far as we're concerned. ... We're just putting our trust in God in all aspects. There's no anger. We're just trying to figure out how and why."
