PORT GIBSON – The attorney who died here Friday earned the respect people had for him, said the Claiborne County official who was also a target in a morning rampage.

&#8220He always tried to be the bridge that brought the races together,” said James Miller, county administrator, whose home was pelted with shotgun blasts minutes after Allen Burrell was killed outside his Market Street office.

&#8220Allen was a good human being who would do anything for anybody and help anybody,” Miller said. &#8220This was so undeserving. Allen was good people.”

Emma Crisler, editor of The Port Gibson Reveille newspaper which has its office next door to Burrell, said among the many duties the 54-year-old lawyer accepted was serving as court-appointed guardian for county youths if they got in trouble, a job for which attorneys are paid a stipend. He didn’t keep the checks, she said.

&#8220That money always went to the families,” Crisler said. &#8220That was just a small piece of what he was like.”

Burrell is survived by his wife, Michelle, who is the county’s parks and recreation director, and three children; Benjamin, of Jackson; Matthew, a law student at the University of Mississippi, and Sara, also a student at Ole Miss.

Claiborne County has about 11,000 residents, about 2,000 of whom live in the county seat. Burrell, of Drake & Burrell, was one of six practicing attorneys in Port Gibson.

Burrell was serving as the officer of the statewide attorneys’ association, The Mississippi Bar, for his circuit-court district.

Although home to the state’s single largest industrial property, the $3 billion Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, the county has been struggling for years against poverty and joblessness.

Originally from Greenville, Burrell had married a Port Gibson woman, moved to the town and begun representing the board of supervisors at least a generation ago. His first wife had died of cancer about 10 to 12 years ago, Miller said.

The remaining partner of Drake & Burrell, Bin Andrews, said of the loss of Burrell, &#8220The town will never be the same for sure. He was involved in just about everything locally.”

Mayor Amelda Arnold said the town is reeling. &#8220This is a big loss for this community,” Arnold said. &#8220It’s bad for this community. We’re trying to do some positive things in this community.”

Charles Shorts, president of the Claiborne County Board of Supervisors agreed. &#8220We know that if we pray and we come together as a people that we can get this behind us,” Shorts said. &#8220But it’s going to be tough.”

Glenwood Funeral Home of Port Gibson had charge of arrangements.