Stamford police officer Zachary Lockwood has been placed on paid administrative leave as authorities investigate Wednesday’s deadly crash

A priest who was checking his mail in Connecticut was killed when he was hit by a police car.

According to a statement from the Stamford Police Department (SPD), Rev. Tommie Jackson was struck by a cruiser being operated by officer Zachary Lockwood on Wire Mill Road in Stamford just before 4:15 p.m. local time on Wednesday.

At a press conference on Friday, Lieutenant Katherine Cummings stated that Lockwood struck the reverend while responding to another traffic accident in the neighborhood.

According to an accident report from the Connecticut State Police, the 69-year-old was at his mailbox when the cruiser struck him.

The 2017 Ford Explorer Interceptor Utility Lockwood was operating, according to state police, “made an evasive steering maneuver” before hitting Jackson.

According to early reports, the emergency lights on Lockwood “were activated” at the time of the incident, Cummings said on Friday.

According to the SPD, Lockwood gave Jackson life-saving assistance “until medics arrived.” The minister was taken to Stamford Hospital, where doctors later declared him dead.

Additionally, the officer was sent to the hospital for testing before being released, Cummings continued.

As is “customary protocol” in cases like this, Lockwood, who has been with the department since April 2022, is currently on paid administrative leave.

According to CBS affiliate WCBS-TV, Jackson’s family attorney Darnell Crosland stated that he and his clients “have more questions now than we have answers.”

He said, “We want answers because the same individuals you depend on to protect you are now accountable for the murder of one of the leaders of our community.

The family of Rev. Jackson, who served the church from 1997 until 2017, received “sincere condolences” from the Faith Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church in Stamford.

At the news announcement on Friday, Mayor Caroline Simmons noted that Jackson served as assistant director of the Urban Redevelopment Commission and as pastor at the Rehoboth Fellowship Church in Stamford.

Jackson “touched the lives of so many” people and was a “beloved member of our faith community,” she continued.

He was a “larger than life figure” who “touched the lives of so many through his lifelong commitment to faith and public service,” according to Simmons. He also left an enduring impression on our community.

The family of Jackson, including the reverend’s wife Dorye Jackson, who is currently the city’s police commissioner, received sympathy from SPD Chief Timothy Shaw as well.

At the press conference on Friday, Shaw said, “Rev. Jackson was a critical member of the Stamford community, and our entire city feels the impact of his passing. Our community is rattled as a result of this awful passing.

In a statement posted to Twitter, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont expressed his grief over Jackson’s passing. “He has made such an impact on Stamford, bringing peace and comfort to those in need and advocating on behalf of underserved communities,” the author wrote on Thursday.

The SPD states that the collision is still under investigation. Please get in touch with Detective Corey Clabby at corey.clabby@ct.gov or Detective Ryan Hackett at ryan.hackett@ct.gov if you believe you may have seen the incident or the moments before.