It’s not often police officers advise the public not to pull over for blinking lights, but that’s exactly what authorities in Mississippi are doing after two drivers were shot by a murderer who may be posing as a police officer. Unfortunately, no witnesses have come forward that saw either seventy-eight-year-old Tom Schelnder or forty-eight-year-old Lori Carswell’s killings, but a police report filed more than a month earlier may be the key to solving the horrific case.
In early April, a woman was pulled over in Mississippi by an unmarked gold Crown Victoria. A suspicious-looking man without a uniform approached her vehicle and demanded to see her license. She rolled down her window a crack and asked to see his badge. Without documentation to show her, he ran back to his vehicle and sped off. Authorities suspect this fake cop may be the murderer who struck twice last week, and rather than wait and see, they’ve decided to ask the public to play it safe.
According to ABC News, the Tate County Sheriff’s Office posted a notice asking all residents to not pull over for unmarked vehicles. Instead, drivers are being urged to put on their flashers and dial 911 to ask whether it’s a real cop behind them. Officers have been informed not to use the precautionary measures against the weary citizens in decisions about whether or not to write tickets.
In theory, cops are supposed to be one of the few groups of people we can trust blindly, but for the time being in Mississippi, flashing lights might not by synonymous with safety.
Enthusiastic about Clue, case-of-the-week mysteries, the NBA and cookies at Disney World. Less enthusiastic about the pricing structure of cable, loud noises and Tuesdays.
