The Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office on Monday urged residents to use its designated, monitored exchange location when completing online purchases after a reported shooting tied to a marketplace transaction in neighboring Panola County.
WJTV reported that Panola County deputies responded to River Road near Sardis after a passerby reported what appeared to be a single-vehicle crash. Deputies found a father and daughter inside the vehicle with apparent gunshot wounds. Investigators believe the pair had arranged to meet someone to purchase a PlayStation 5 through Facebook Marketplace, WJTV reported.
The Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post that its Internet Purchase Exchange Location is in the sheriff’s office parking lot, is monitored by cameras 24 hours a day and is staffed on site. The office said the area provides a safer place for buyers and sellers to complete transactions arranged through online marketplaces.
The sheriff’s office advised residents to meet in public, well-lit locations; use the county exchange site when possible; avoid remote or secluded locations; bring another person if available; and trust their instincts. If you have questions about using the exchange location, contact the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office. We will provide more information as it becomes available.
