By Ashley Johnson

The Selma Times-Journal

 

Selma Police are still searching for any persons involved in the shooting of an elderly man that left him paralyzed and in serious condition.

Officers with the Selma Police Department responded to a call on Sunday, April 1 concerning a gunshot victim near Race Street and Shelley Avenue. Upon arrival officers discovered the victim, 72-year-old Willie James Thomas, lying on the floorboard of his vehicle with a gunshot wound to the neck.

The gunshot traveled through James’ neck and did severe damage to his vertebrae.

“Right now the victim is still paralyzed on most parts of his body,” Selma Chief of Police William T. Riley said on Thursday in an update to The Times-Journal.

Several persons of interest were interviewed following the incident but no real suspects have surfaced. According to Riley the persons of interest “did not offer any information that was beneficial to the case.”

As of now Riley can confirm there was no weapon in the victim’s hand that could have appeared as a threat to anyone, leaving the cause of this shooting to remain unknown to authorities.

“Right now we are still looking for anybody involved,” Riley said. “We do know there were other people in the area at the time of the shooting and we need anyone with information that may know those individuals involved to contact us.”

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact the Selma Police Department or CrimeStoppers at 877-3530 or 1-866-44-CRIME (442-7463).