Stamfordpastor'sfamily and friends to gather at Union Baptist Church for his funeral
Aug. 4—"The family would like to send a heartfelt thank you to all who have reached out, called, texted, showed up, and for the outpouring of gestures and condolences offered during this difficult time," the obituary said.
Jackson, an influential figure in the city's political and religious fabric for more than two decades, was struck and killed July 26 by Stamford Police Officer Zachary Lockwood, who officials said was responding to a car accident in his cruiser.
The pastor at Rehoboth Fellowship Church and Faith Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church was crossing Wire Mill Road after retrieving items from his mailbox when he was struck by the police car, Connecticut State Police said last week. The 24-year-old officer made an evasive maneuver before hitting Jackson and performed CPR on him until medics arrived, police said.
Lockwood is on administrative leave pending an investigation by state police.
Jackson, a Baltimore native, arrived at Faith Tabernacle in Stamford in 1997 by way of his first congregation in Chester, Pa. A law school graduate with a passion for social justice, he worked in local government before becoming a pastor.
In Stamford, he sought to follow in the footsteps of Black church leaders before him, addressing issues of race and poverty. One year in, he said Stamford was "a progressive and vibrant community," but not always, and not for everybody.
"You have two communities, the haves and the have nots. Everybody cannot afford to live in Stamford, and I'm not sure that everybody is even welcome in Stamford," Jackson told The Stamford Advocate in 1998.
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At Faith Tabernacle, he quickly made a splash, hosting a weekly Wednesday lunch-hour service called the "Hour of Power," drawing in hundreds of churchgoers who wanted to commune with each other before Sunday service. He also held back-to-school rallies for his young members to build excitement for the upcoming school year and he celebrated their successes by distributing supplies and backpacks.
He also looked to use his position of influence to help address issues such as housing and education, developing relationships with elected officials, according to his obituary. He helped lead Stamford's Urban Redevelopment Commission since 2013.
He founded Rehoboth Fellowship Church in 2017.
Jackson, a grandfather, is survived by his wife Dorye, a Stamford police commissioner, and two daughters.
