“Everybody loved them. They were always happy.”

That’s how Bessie Diggs described her family following a tragic event that took the life of her son-in-law, Jermaine Sims Sr., and 9-year-old granddaughter Jamiyah Sims. Her daughter, Victoria Sims, and her two children, ages 6 and 14, remain hospitalized after a violent shooting took place early Friday morning.

Around midnight Friday, Jimmy Lyons allegedly shot the family during an altercation. All involved lived at 1088 South First St. where the incident took place.

Diggs said that her 14-year-old granddaughter was shot while attempting to shield the 6-year-old boy. Those two were able to escape with the mother to Donna Davis’s house, which is located nearby.

“I always told them if there was ever any trouble to go to your house,” Diggs told Davis. “Your light is always on.”

As it turns out Diggs’s advice may have helped save her daughter and two of her grandchildren. Diggs believes that Davis and her husband’s presence helped keep the shooter from attacking those three further.

Davis said when she heard the commotion, she didn’t recognize the noise at first.

“It sounded like cats getting attacked,” she said. “I started hearing ‘Help me, help me.'”

That’s when Davis and her husband opened the door to their front porch. The girl was sitting on the porch, and the boy was lying on the ground partly under the steps. Davis saw the mother in the yard but could not make out anything about her condition because of the darkness.

Once Davis saw the blood, she called 911. According to Brookhaven Police Chief Bobby Bell, that call came in at 12:20 a.m. With 911 on the line, she and her husband did their best to keep the girl aware of her surroundings. They were afraid to move either of the children because they didn’t want to make their injuries worse.

“I thank the Lord, y’all got up,” Diggs said to Davis.

Davis and her husband stood in their doorway to make sure no one who could cause harm was in the yard.

“I told her they’re on the way — pray,” Davis said.

When the police and EMTs arrived, Bell said they found Victoria and two of her children wounded. Sims told officers that an altercation had started between her husband and Lyons. Sims said a third child and her husband were still in the house. Jermaine, Jamiyah and Lyons were found inside the house.

Diggs said that Lyons was living with the family.

“We gave him a place to live when his mom wouldn’t give him a penny,” she said. “He took my baby.”

The kindness shown to Lyons was characteristic of the Sims family, according to Diggs.

“She’s [Victoria] sweet,” she said.

Victoria and Jermaine had gone through some difficult times, but they had worked to better themselves and their family, she said.

“They got themselves together, and they made themselves a family again,” she said.

Diggs was quick to brag on her grandchildren, mostly for their academic achievements. One was just awarded a Mississippi Scholar designation, and they all stay on the A and B honor roll, she said.

Diggs said she had last seen the children Thursday. They were at her house playing video games, dancing and just enjoying life.

“If I had kept them at the house, they’d be here today. I never thought this right here would happen,” she said. “I just can’t see myself not watching her [Jamiyah] grow up.”

Diggs said as of Friday afternoon no memorial or funeral service had been planned. They were waiting on Jermaine’s family to arrive.

“We want to do it together,” she said.

Diggs said the mother and children appeared to be in stable condition.

Lyons remains in the Lincoln County Jail and is charged with two counts of murder and three counts of aggravated assault. Bell said that in Mississippi there is no attempted murder charge.

Bell said the incident is still under investigation, but Lyons has admitted to the crime.