Professional bass fisherman killed at Jackson Motel 6

Oct. 14, 2013 |


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James Johnson / Bassmaster.com

Written by
Jacob Threadgill
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Security camera footage shows the suspect wearing a red shirt. / Jackson Police Department

The 56-year-old man fatally shot at a Jackson motel Sunday has been identified as bass angler James "Jimmy" Johnson, according to a statement from Bassmaster.

Johnson was in Jackson to compete at the Bassmaster Central Open on Ross Barnett Reservoir scheduled to begin Oct. 17.

Johnson was staying with his wife at a Motel 6 on Frontage Road near Interstate 55. Jackson Police Department spokesperson Colendula Green said the department received the call of the shooting at 7:48 p.m. Sunday.

Jackson police are looking for a black male suspect that appeared on security camera footage.

Chris Bowes, senior tournament manager for the Bassmaster Opens, said in a release that a friend of Johnson discovered someone burglarizing his boat. The shooting took place shortly thereafter. His wife was not injured.

When contacted Monday afternoon, Green said the investigation was still on-going.

"There was some sort of violent altercation near his hotel room door," Bowes told The Clarion-Ledger

Johnson, of Ganado, Texas, was 11th in Central Open standings after two events. The top five anglers from each of three open divisions qualify for the elite series. Johnson was in the top five percent of the nearly 200 fisherman who have competed in the central division this year, according to Bowes.

Johnson entered the final open event of the season with a chance to qualify for the highest division in 2014.

“Jimmy was a terrific angler, as he has shown through the Bassmaster Opens,” Bowes said. “More than that, he was a tremendous guy. He will be deeply missed.”

BASS CEO Bruce Akin released a statement regarding Johnson's death:
“We were shocked and saddened to learn late Sunday night that Jimmy Johnson was killed while staying in a motel near the lake. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends as the bass fishing community rallies around them.”
Official practice for the open event began Monday morning, but Bowes said it was common for anglers to arrive early over the weekend to take advantage of no limits on the amount of fish that can be caught.

Bowes said was not sure when Johnson and his wife arrived in Jackson.
The Central Open is the first Bassmaster event at Ross Barnett Reservoir in over a decade, according to Bowes. He said they planned to honor Johnson at the registration event Wednesday evening.

"The event will go on and we know that it was an isolated incident," Bowes said. We don't want to lose focus and everyone there will have a heavy heart."

http://www.clarionledger.com/article...ckson-Motel-6-