Bank of Holly Springs

Husband, wife dead in shooting

A Benton County man entered the Williams Medical Clinic in Potts Camp Tuesday around 10 a.m., jumped the counter in the waiting room and shot his wife, according to sheriff Kenny Dickerson.

He then turned the .38 caliber pistol on himself, shooting himself in the head.

Latoya T. Thompson, 33, of the 4900 block of Lamar Road in Benton County, was shot one or more times in the waist area, the sheriff said. He said attempts to revive her were briefly successful before she died while waiting to be airlifted.

The husband, Carl Robinson, 43, of the 1300 block of Country Church Road in Lamar, a political candidate who was running for state representative District 5, died at the scene, according to Sheriff Dickerson and coroner James Richard Anderson.

Facts gathered at the scene and eye-witness testimony pieced together what took place at the Williams Medical Clinic where Thompson was employed as a receptionist, Dickerson said.

“Upon arrival, officers were directed by personnel at the clinic to a location in the receptionist area where they observed the body of a female that reportedly had been shot one or more times,” the sheriff said. “She was lying on the floor area in the receptionist area and medical personnel in the clinic were giving her medical aid.

“Also, near the victim’s body was a male lying on the floor with an obvious gunshot wound to the head and he was dead. Beside the head area of the shooter was a .38 caliber handgun.

“According to information received from one or more eye-witnesses, the shooter entered the front waiting room area where his wife was a receptionist. Her husband had jumped the counter of the reception area where his wife was seated and fired one or more shots, striking her chest and waist area.

“Upon my arrival, I personally observed Dr. Williams (who had also arrived on the scene), nurses from his clinic, family nurse practitioners, plus other medical personnel who had arrived from across the street at Potts Family Medical Camp Clinic.

“It was very obvious Dr. Williams and all medical personnel and ambulance attendants were doing everything humanly possible to keep the victim alive. They were able with CPR and medication to revive her somewhat and get a weak pulse and heart rate.”

Thompson was carried by ambulance to the Air Wings landing zone where medical personnel were waiting to transport her but she expired prior to being airlifted, the sheriff said.

“This incident is obviously a tragedy for the victim and her husband and especially tragic for family members of both persons,” the sheriff said.

Dickerson said investigative facts gathered at the scene and from responsible persons indicated the couple were going through a divorce, which may have triggered the action of the shooter.

“It’s tragic for all concerned,” he said. “These type of incidents are hard to guard against because they happen unexpectedly – on impulse of the attacker. It can’t be anticipated.”

The sheriff said the incident is being treated as a murder/suicide.

Holly Springs South Reporter

P.O. Box 278
Holly Springs, MS 38635
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