Jackson, MS — Early Monday afternoon, fire crews raced to a burning vehicle along Eddy Street that would soon reveal a grim discovery no one expected. After putting out the blaze, firefighters opened the charred door and found a man inside who had been shot in the head and did not survive.
The victim has now been identified by the Jackson Police Department as 56-year-old Gary Bolden. Friends, neighbors, and local officials are struggling to piece together exactly what led to this shocking scene in a community already on edge.
Sources say the Jackson Fire Department was called to the site on Eddy Street on Monday, Dec. 22, after reports of a vehicle fully engulfed in flames. Once crews knocked down the fire, they made the heartbreaking discovery of Bolden’s body inside the vehicle.
Police confirmed that Bolden had sustained a gunshot wound to the head, and his death is now being treated as a possible homicide. It remains unclear what triggered the shooting or how the car came to catch fire. Investigators are still working to understand the full series of events that led to the tragedy.
Neighbors described hearing unusual noises late Sunday but didn’t report anything until the fire broke out. Some say Bolden was known around the block but kept to himself, while others remember him as a regular local face. His sudden, violent death has left many in the community shaken and searching for answers.
Jackson Police have not named a suspect or released information about any possible motives. No arrests have been made, and detectives are urging anyone with information to step forward. Officials stressed that even the smallest detail could help move the case forward.
Authorities are asking people who may have seen unusual activity in the area around the time of the incident to contact Crime Stoppers at 601-355-TIPS (8477) or the Jackson Police Department at 601-960-1234. Tips can remain anonymous, and investigators say community help could prove vital to solving the case.
Bolden’s family has yet to release a public statement, but close friends described him as someone who valued his privacy and enjoyed simple, everyday moments. As the investigation continues, the neighborhood is left grappling with both grief and the hope that justice will come for a man whose life ended far too soon.
