Usually around 3:30 p.m. during the week, Shirley Avenue is filled with school buses and cars with children getting home from school. On Thursday afternoon, neighbors saw a different street, full of Jackson Police officers and the SWAT team looking for Tony Ray Bowman, who police say hit a woman with a brick and shot at police officers.

The Jackson Police Department and SWAT team surrounded a house in search of Bowman in the 1700 block of Shirley Avenue near the College Hill M.B. Church.

Assistant Police Chief Lee Vance said JPD received a call from a woman saying that Bowman hit her in the face with a brick. The female victim was transported to Baptist Hospital with non-life threatning injuries.

Ethel Baker has known the 29-year-old suspect for most of his life and says family tragedies may have triggered his actions.

"He was a very close friend of my nephew and Ray has had problems every since his grandma died, his aunt died, his daddy died. His mother has been institutionalized several times off and on and he hasn't had anyone to talk to and recently I noticed Ray has acted real strange," said Baker.

Police arrived on the scene and when they attempted to questioned the suspect Bowman, he opened fire on police, firing multiple times. Police returned fire. They believed the suspect ran from officers and baracaded himself inside the home but later discovered he had fled the area. SWAT team members set up a two block perimeter around the house.

Baker says Ray has been seen walking around talking to himself and chasing passers-by with bricks and bottles. Just recently, Baker said her husband saw Bowman walking around his home with a gun. Both police and Baker say Bowman suffers from a mental illness.

"Every since (his daddy died) four years ago, he's been going downhill," said Baker.

Before officers realized that Bowman was not in the home, Baker approached JPD officers about trying to convince Bowman to surrender but then feared for her own safety.

"I thought about it. I really feel sorry for him. I have a lot of sorrow in my heart for him because he's not that type of person," said Baker.

Police say Bowman is still at large and believed to be armed as of Thursday evening. He faces three counts of aggravated assault, two on police officers.

Usually around 3:30 p.m. during the week, Shirley Avenue is filled with school buses and cars with children getting home from school. On Thursday afternoon, neighbors saw a different street, full of Jackson Police officers and the SWAT team looking for Tony Ray Bowman, who police say hit a woman with a brick and shot at police officers.

The Jackson Police Department and SWAT team surrounded a house in search of Bowman in the 1700 block of Shirley Avenue near the College Hill M.B. Church.

Assistant Police Chief Lee Vance said JPD received a call from a woman saying that Bowman hit her in the face with a brick. The female victim was transported to Baptist Hospital with non-life threatning injuries.

Ethel Baker has known the 29-year-old suspect for most of his life and says family tragedies may have triggered his actions.

"He was a very close friend of my nephew and Ray has had problems every since his grandma died, his aunt died, his daddy died. His mother has been institutionalized several times off and on and he hasn't had anyone to talk to and recently I noticed Ray has acted real strange," said Baker.

Police arrived on the scene and when they attempted to questioned the suspect Bowman, he opened fire on police, firing multiple times. Police returned fire. They believed the suspect ran from officers and baracaded himself inside the home but later discovered he had fled the area. SWAT team members set up a two block perimeter around the house.

Baker says Ray has been seen walking around talking to himself and chasing passers-by with bricks and bottles. Just recently, Baker said her husband saw Bowman walking around his home with a gun. Both police and Baker say Bowman suffers from a mental illness.

"Every since (his daddy died) four years ago, he's been going downhill," said Baker.

Before officers realized that Bowman was not in the home, Baker approached JPD officers about trying to convince Bowman to surrender but then feared for her own safety.

"I thought about it. I really feel sorry for him. I have a lot of sorrow in my heart for him because he's not that type of person," said Baker.

Police say Bowman is still at large and believed to be armed as of Thursday evening. He faces three counts of aggravated assault, two on police officers.