Jackson County man to serve life for shooting man in front of victim’s son

A Jackson County man will spend the rest of his life in prison after his murder conviction in circuit court this week.

32-year-old Christopher Brown was found guilty of first-degree murder and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon in the 2021 shooting death of Nicholas Pittman,

According to the District Attorney’s office, Jackson County deputies were called to a home in the Virginia City community north of Ocean Springs for a report of a shooting. They found Pittman lying outside with three gunshot wounds.

Deputies learned that Pittman’s ex-girlfriend, their 11-year-old son and Brown were living at the home. Pittman arrived to pick up his son after receiving a message that Brown was calling the child names.

When Pittman arrived at the home, he and the child’s mother began arguing outside. Brown emerged from the home with a gun and shot Pittman in front of the child before fleeing. He was arrested days later.

During trial, Brown said he acted in self-defense and had no alternative but to shoot  Pittman.

District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath stated, “This is a case about a dad who wanted to protect his son from being bullied by mom’s boyfriend. Instead of working through the issues as grown-ups the defendant chose to get a gun and shoot this dad twice in the chest and once in the back in front of his son,” said District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath.