HATTIESBURG, Miss. — What should have been an ordinary shopping trip turned into a terrifying ordeal for a couple inside a Walmart on U.S. Highway 98 when two armed men confronted them, displayed firearms, and held them at gunpoint.
Hattiesburg police say the brazen incident unfolded Thursday afternoon at the store. The suspects, 22-year-old Jazzton Roberts and 21-year-old Jeremiah Silas, both of Hattiesburg, were quickly tracked down and arrested in the 6000 block of U.S. Highway 98 after attempting to flee the scene in a pickup truck.
Jazzton Roberts (left) and Jeremiah Silas (right) were arrested and charged in the case. (Forrest County Sheriff's Office via WDAM)According to police and video evidence, the two men confronted the victims inside the store, brandished guns, and threatened them. The situation escalated into an armed robbery. One victim was evaluated at the scene and transported to a local hospital by ambulance as a precaution. Their condition has not been released.
Shocking footage from the incident has surfaced online and from local media. Video shows intense moments inside the store, including a shirtless suspect near the victims by a vending machine area, along with scenes from the parking lot. Viewer-submitted dashcam footage also captured a man exiting a pickup truck with a firearm.
Both Roberts and Silas now face serious felony charges: one count of armed robbery and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon each, according to the Forrest County online jail roster.
Hattiesburg police acted fast to take these dangerous suspects into custody before they could get away. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to piece together every detail of the frightening attack that unfolded in a public place where families and shoppers expect to feel safe.
This kind of violent crime inside a busy retail store serves as a stark reminder of the threats law-abiding citizens can face. Local authorities continue to urge anyone with additional information to come forward.
