One man is dead after an altercation that took place outside of Manna Meal, a soup kitchen that operates out of the facilities of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Charleston, West Virginia. Jackie James Cummings of Duck, West Virginia, died after accidentally stabbing himself in the leg with his own knife during the fight.
The 27-year-old Cummings and the other individual had reportedly been asked to leave the soup kitchen after a disagreement between them began to escalate at around 1 p.m. on Sunday (Sept. 24).
According to police, Cummings was the one to initiate the fight inside Manna Meal, and as the altercation continued outside in the parking lot, he brandished a knife. When the other person pushed him, Cummings accidentally stabbed himself in the upper leg as he fell onto the ground.
Cummings was taken to the Charleston Area Medical Center hospital but died shortly thereafter.
“We learned that the stab wound was really bad so we summoned Charleston paramedics who responded to the scene,” said Lieutenant Tony Hazelett of the Charleston Police Department. “Unfortunately, the victim died at the hospital.”
No charges have been filed at this time, and police are not looking for any other suspects.
The case will be handed over to the Kanawha County Prosecutor’s Office for review. Hazelett indicated that “there is no threat to the public.”
Established in 1976, Manna Meal serves breakfast and lunch to those in need in the Charleston community. According to its website, the soup kitchen serves as many as 400 people a day and “has never missed a meal” in its nearly five decade history—even through the COVID-19 pandemic.
ChurchLeaders has reached out to Manna Meal for comment and will update this article in the event of its response.
