Welcome to the Hospitality State

Visiting Cheerleaders Robbed at Gunpoint

By: Cheryl Lasseter
cheryl@wlbt.net

They came to Jackson in high spirits for the Deep South Cheerleading Competition at the Coliseum: about 3,000 young people and their families from eight states visiting the Capital City.

Some of the cheerleaders and their parents stayed at the Red Roof Inn near the Coliseum over the weekend, but they never expected what happened in room 231 around 11:30 Saturday night.

"Three (teenagers) were in one room, the three parents were in another room, and some guys busted in the door with guns, held the kids at gunpoint, took their keys to their vehicle, their luggage, their video cameras, the hat off one of the teenagers heads," says Barbara Allen, manager of Southern Stars Cheerleaders out of Baton Rouge.

Allen says after the intrusion, the teens, one girl and two boys, were pushed into the bathroom. No one was hurt. The robbers also stole their wallets and keys, then took off in their Chevy Suburban.

Allen says police responded quickly, and the security guard on duty did everything he could after the fact.

"They said he was really nice and very apologetic because he felt very bad this happened on his shift. He was helping some ladies in a car, but there's not much he could have done if he didn't have a gun," she says.

The mother of one of the teens asked not to be seen on camera, but says her child wanted to stay to compete despite the terrifying ordeal.

"You think your kids are safe. They were just two doors down watching TV," the mother says. "Then you get a phone call and you can hear a child screaming on the phone from across the room."

The cheerleading group says the incident was handled professionally by the Red Roof Inn and Jackson Police, but their impression of Jackson has soured.

"I'm ready to go back to Baton Rouge, Louisiana ad stay there," Allen says.

No one at the Red Roof Inn was available for comment Sunday morning.