Mississippi Officers Allegedly Shot Mother in the Head During Car Pursuit

 Sherita Harris, who sustained severe injuries, expressed that the indictment of two Mississippi Capitol Police officers provided her with some sense of relief.

Jan. 25, 2025, 8:16 AM GMT+6

For over two years, Sherita Harris has waited for justice after a bullet struck her in the head while she was a passenger in a car in Jackson, Mississippi.

On Friday, the mother of five finally received some hope.

The Mississippi Attorney General’s Office revealed that two state police officers have been charged in connection with the shooting, which left her with a partially paralyzed face, permanent memory loss, and impaired vision and hearing.

"It’s been so long, I thought they forgot and were just going to sweep it under the rug," Harris, 40, said, her speech slurred due to the gunshot wound. "It brings me a little joy."

Mississippi Capitol Police Officer Michael Rhinewalt and former officer Jeffery Walker were each indicted by a state grand jury on aggravated assault charges. They are accused of shooting Harris "under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life." The officers are also accused of shooting at Harris' friend, who was driving at the time. The officers claim they opened fire after the friend, Sinatra Jordan, shot at them during a pursuit—an allegation Jordan denies.

The indictments were issued in December, with the state Attorney General’s Office announcing the charges on Friday afternoon.

Attorney Scott Gilbert, representing Rhinewalt, stated in an email that the officer "acted appropriately when he returned fire after being shot at by the suspect" and expressed confidence that Rhinewalt would be "vindicated at trial."

Walker’s attorney, Francis Springer, said in an email that Walker "maintains his innocence" but declined to make any comments before trial. Walker is also facing federal civil rights charges related to an alleged assault of a motorist during an arrest in July 2022, a month before Harris' shooting. He has pleaded not guilty in that case.

Justin Smith, who is representing Harris in a $3 million lawsuit against Mississippi authorities, expressed surprise at the charges, noting that the state Attorney General’s Office rarely holds police officers accountable in shooting cases.

“I’m just shocked and surprised the AG’s office took the initiative and indicted the officers,” Smith said.

The state Attorney General’s Office has not commented on the case, citing "active litigation."

Sean Tindell, the commissioner of the state Department of Public Safety, which oversees the Capitol Police, confirmed in a statement that Rhinewalt had been placed on unpaid leave pending an internal hearing. Walker, he noted, left the Capitol Police in July 2023.

Since Harris' shooting on August 14, 2022, the Department of Public Safety has established an internal affairs division to handle complaints against officers independently. Capitol Police officers now wear body cameras; however, Walker and Rhinewalt were not wearing cameras during the incident. Harris has no memory of the shooting. The last thing she remembers is her friend, Jordan, saying the police were pulling them over. She woke up in a hospital three days later, her face severely injured.

The officers, both new hires with the Capitol Police as part of a crime crackdown in Jackson, claimed Jordan led them on a chase through downtown after fleeing a traffic stop. Walker testified in a September 2022 hearing that he and Rhinewalt opened fire after Jordan fired at them first. Walker described a rolling gun battle that ended in a residential neighborhood, noting that he saw items thrown from the car during the chase, although none were found. Their patrol car was not hit by bullets.

Jordan, who has been in jail since the incident awaiting trial on charges of fleeing and aggravated assault on police officers, disputes the officers' version of events. He denies having a gun or throwing anything from the car, and he also claims that officers beat him, a statement corroborated by a witness interviewed by NBC News. Neither Jordan nor his lawyers could be reached for comment on Friday.

After the chase ended and Jordan was arrested, officers searched the car and found no weapon, according to Walker’s testimony. However, they did find Harris, who had suffered a gunshot wound.

A witness previously told NBC News that one of the officers exclaimed, "Oh my God, oh my God" upon discovering Harris. She required several surgeries to remove the bullet and repair her left eye and ear. The left side of her face remains partially paralyzed, and she struggles with eating. Harris also suffers from depression and PTSD, relying on a caregiver and rarely leaving her home.