UPDATED: Authorities says someone sabotaged Williamsburg officer’s vehicle

Williamsburg Public Affairs Officer Shawn Jackson is used to talking about crime on a regular basis.

Tuesday morning, Jackson issued a press release about the attempted murder of a police officer. What made this release different is that not only is Jackson the one releasing the information, but he is also the victim in what police think may be a murder for hire type case.

"About three weeks ago, we found out that my personal vehicle had been tampered with in what appeared to be intentional to possibly try to kill me or my family. It was not my police cruiser, but my personal vehicle," Jackson said.

He said the thing that bothers him most is that the culprit apparently targeted not only him, but also his family, which also rides in his vehicle.

"I’m a police officer. At times I am going to get threats and there are going to be people that don’t like me for whatever reason, and I am willing to deal with that, but this goes way farther than that," Jackson said.

"What was done was directed not only towards me, but my family also so I take this very personal. I am not going to rest peacefully until somebody is charged and faces the court system in this case. I think this is the work of a spineless coward."

During the early morning hours of July 30, someone sabotaged Jackson’s personal vehicle outside his residence in northern Whitley County. Later that day on US25W he lost control of the 2003 Chevy pick-up truck and ran off the roadway.

"Luckily, the good Lord was with me and I was going at a very slow rate of speed when this happened," Jackson said. "If this had happened between my residence and where it actually happened at, it is safe to say there would have been a very serious accident with serious physical injury or possibly death."

Williamsburg Police Chief Wayne Bird opened an attempted murder investigation in early August after authorities learned that the vehicle had been tampered with in an apparent attempt to kill Jackson.
Police declined to say how the vehicle was sabotaged.

"This is very personal. I can deal with people saying and doing what they want to me," Jackson said. "When you have family involved, namely two children that would be targeted by somebody that is probably a regular drug user because of me being so publicly outspoken against drugs that is why I say they are a spineless coward."

Authorities believe a possible motive is that certain people in the northern end of Whitley County near where Jackson lives may view him as a threat to drug users and the drug trade in that area.

"There are ‘persons of interest’ in this case, and Chief Bird does have a few leads that are being investigated," Jackson said. "Anyone with any information on this case is urged to contact Chief Wayne Bird or Officer Shawn Jackson at the Williamsburg Police Department."

The Williamsburg Police Department can be reached by calling the Whitley County 911 center’s non-emergency number at 549-6017. Bird’s office number is 549-6087.

"We would love to have the public’s input if anybody knows anything about this. We would love to have them call the Williamsburg Police Department," Jackson said.

Authorities believe that more than one person may be involved. Jackson said that if anyone was around during the planning phase of the crime, then they might also be charged with being part of a conspiracy to commit the murder of a police officer, especially if they don’t come forward.

"We want witnesses, and cooperation from people that might know something. Right now we are just taking it one day at a time," Jackson said.

He said that since the incident, police from all agencies in Whitley County have increased patrols in the northern section of the county in an effort to catch the people responsible and develop leads in the case.

So far police have arrested one person in connection with the investigation, who they say purposely provided them with false information about the case.

Jackson arrested Bennis Q. Brown, 42, of 96 Osborne Lane, about 1:30 p.m. Thursday at his residence charging him with falsely reporting an incident, which is a misdemeanor offense.

On Aug. 4, Brown contacted Whitley County 911 and stated that he had information concerning an investigation that the Williamsburg Police Department was conducting in the Bee Creek area in regards to the attempted murder, Bird wrote in the arrest warrant.

Williamsburg police met with Brown at his residence and obtained a recorded statement from him naming three suspects, who allegedly plotted to tamper with Jackson’s personal vehicle.

During the investigation, police determined that Brown provided false information and later contacted the three suspects and told them the police were looking for them hindering the investigation, Bird wrote.

"The defendant purposely provided false information to the Williamsburg Police Department in violation of KRS 519.040 falsely reporting on an incident," Bird wrote.

Jackson said that Brown’s actions caused the investigation to go in circles for a time.

"It was confirmed that he gave us false information on this investigation, and really hindered this investigation," Jackson said.
He described Brown as a "person of interest, who has not been ruled out" as a suspect.