Ole Miss alumnus Jermaine T. Jackson died Friday in Rockville, Md., in an incident currently being investigated by Maryland State Police.
Police reports said that Jackson was pulled over for not wearing a seatbelt and reportedly shot himself as the state trooper stepped out of his car.
The officer called out verbal commands to an unresponsive Jackson and called for backup after hearing the gunshots. Upon arrival, troopers found a handgun on the car’s console and Jackson wounded in the torso.
Jackson was pronounced dead on the scene by emergency medical responders.
Jackson was inducted into the 2007-2008 University of Mississippi Hall of Fame. He graduated in 2008 with bachelor’s degrees in political science and journalism, and in 2010 received a Master of Arts in higher education/student personnel.
While studying at The University of Mississippi, Jackson served as cabinet director of the Associated Student Body, treasurer of the Mortar Board senior honor society and online editor of The Daily Mississippian. He was also on the NewsWatch and yearbook staffs. He was honored as a Ronald E. McNair Scholar. He worked for the university’s Office of Financial Aid as an adviser and by The University of Mississippi Foundation as an IT associate.
Jackson was employed as the coordinator of academic advising at the University of Maryland and had previously served as an academic adviser at both the University of Maryland and at The University of Mississippi’s Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College.
