EXERCISING THE RIGHT
Suspicious Man Has Inauspicious Ending
MassLive reported out of Worcester, Massachusetts, about a retired police officer whose old law-enforcement skills recently came in handy. Fifty-six-year-old Charles Jackson was at home on April 29 when he looked out his window and observed something out of the ordinary. Jackson saw what he described as a “suspicious man” looking into parked cars in his neighborhood. Jackson told MassLive in an exclusive interview that it was the stranger’s backpack and odd movements that alerted Jackson that criminal activity might be afoot. Jackson is also an Army veteran and is not one to shy away from confronting a criminal.
After calling 911 to report what was happening, Jackson retrieved his pistol and his old police badge and went outside his house to investigate further. Jackson approached the suspect, who would later be identified as 29-year-old Zachary Bailey. Some neighbors who lived nearby witnessed the entire event, and their statements corroborated Jackson’s story. Jackson asked Bailey what he was doing there, and Jackson said Bailey told him that he was just walking through the yard on his way to a different destination. Jackson still thought something was up, so he asked Bailey to leave and told him he would escort him off the property. Jackson then grabbed Bailey by his backpack and began trying to walk the stranger to the end of his yard. At that moment, Bailey began striking Jackson, and a full-fledged fight broke out. Jackson reached for his holstered pistol, and witnesses say Bailey made a threatening comment. The prosecutor in the case told MassLive that Bailey said to Jackson, “I have one of those too, don’t think I won’t shoot you.” Bailey proceeded to pull out his own gun and fire it at the homeowner.
Jackson returned fire and emptied the rounds in his gun, hitting Bailey in both the abdomen and the arm. The wounded suspect ran from the scene but didn’t go far before calling 911 to report his injuries. The injured Bailey was picked up and transported to a nearby medical facility. Investigators soon learned that Bailey had an outstanding warrant for breaking and entering in a different case, as well as a lengthy criminal record, which will only get longer with new charges pending.
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