Authorities in central Mississippi reported that at least two individuals opened fire on a crowd of several hundred people celebrating a school’s homecoming football victory at an outdoor trail several hours after the game ended, killing three and wounding eight people early Saturday.
Some of the guys at the party got into a fight before the firing started, but deputies were still unsure of what caused the altercation, according to Holmes County Sheriff Willie March.
In a phone interview, the sheriff stated that between 200 and 300 people were celebrating on the trail when they were driven away by the gunshots.
“It was chaos, to tell you the truth,” March said. “The shooting just started and people started running.”
Five miles (3 kilometers) west of Lexington, Mississippi, the shootings took place after a football game at the Holmes County Consolidated School’s homecoming celebration a few hours earlier. Numerous youths celebrated by going to the trail after the victory.
Jackson lies more than 60 miles (96 kilometers) north of Lexington. Two of the deceased were 19 years old, while the third was 25. Hospitals in the area received the injured victims via airlift.
In order to ascertain the number of guns discharged, deputies were gathering ammunition at the scene, according to March.
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The county, which has a population of around 16,000, has recently experienced a “off and on” problem with young male shootings. According to the young guys who speak with the sheriff, it’s usually because they’re at odds with someone, or have a “beef.”
“It’s hard to see what they are fighting over. I don’t think they are fighting over turf or drugs,” March stated. “These are young men walking around with weapons. I wish I had an answer.”
