Former city cop shot in robbery in Coffeeville
Published 9:28 am Friday, January 20, 2017
- Donnie Dotson, critically wounded Monday in a Coffeeville armed robbery is comforted by his brother-in-law, Bro. Michael Hass, and his wife, Margareta, Thursday after having been taken off a ventilator at the Med. Dotson’s continuing improvement will allow him to be removed from intensive care within a day or two, a family member said. Photo provided
Former city cop shot in robbery in Coffeeville
Donnie Dotson, critically wounded Monday in a Coffeeville armed robbery is comforted by his brother-in-law, Bro. Michael Hass, and his wife, Margareta, Thursday after having been taken off a ventilator at the Med. Dotson’s continuing improvement will allow him to be removed from intensive care within a day or two, a family member said.
Photo provided
By John Howell
Coordinated efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies including the Batesville Police Department resulted in quick apprehension of two men suspected in a Coffeeville convenience store robbery that left an employee seriously injured from gunfire.
The store employee, Donnie Dotson, is a former police officer who served at BPD from 2008 until 2012, Batesville Police Chief Tony Jones said.
Yalobusha County Sheriff Lance Humphreys told the North Miss. Herald that Jerome Birks of Tallahatchie County and James Otis Cooper of Batesville were arrested and charged in the robbery.
“We got a tip early in this case that helped link a Chevrolet Trailblazer to the robbery,” Humphreys said.
The tip included information that was broadcast to surrounding law enforcement agencies as a BOLO (be on the lookout alert).
Cooper was arrested in Batesville about two hours after the 8:15 p.m. Monday evening robbery when a BPD patrol officer on patrol spotted a vehicle that matched the BOLO description, according to Jones.
“Evidence was recovered from the vehicle that linked it to the robbery,” Humphreys continued in his statement to the Herald.
Authorities were also able to develop leads that led to Birks’ arrest by Tallahatchie County authorities.
Humphreys said that Dotson was working outside the store when he apparently noticed suspicious activity inside. As Dotson approached the store’s front windows, several shots were fired from inside the store, including one that passed through the window and struck him in the neck. The bullet broke Dotson’s collarbone and nicked his carotid artery.
“It’s a miracle that he survived, I just can’t say enough about the rapid response from every agency involved, law enforcement, EMTs as well as the assistance from the general public that helped lead to the arrests,” Humphreys said.
Dotson was transported to the Med in Memphis where he remains in critical condition, but a photo circulating on social media Thursday depicts him in his hospital bed giving a “thumbs up.”
Birks has been charged with armed robbery, aggravated assault and grand larcency. Cooper has been charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, armed robbery, aggravated assault and grand larceny.
