A downtown event held during Leland High School’s homecoming weekend turned into a scene of tragedy overnight as a mass shooting left at least four people dead and 12 others injured. The incident, which occurred in the heart of Leland, Mississippi, has shocked the small community, with the suspect still at large as of Saturday afternoon.
Leland Mayor John Lee confirmed the toll on Saturday, extending his “prayers and condolences” to the victims and their families. “This is not something that’s ever happened here before,” the mayor said, noting that the event was a traditional gathering of “everybody’s family and friends and neighbors… having fun in the downtown area, as we do every year.”
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves confirmed the suspect remains at large on X, vowing that “Those responsible will be brought to justice.” The governor added that the state is “praying for the victims and their families, as well as the entire Heidelberg and Leland communities.”
The shooting occurred late Friday or early Saturday morning, with police, sheriff’s deputies, and ambulances rushing to the chaotic scene. Mississippi state Sen. Derrick Simmons, a Democrat who represents the region, told The Associated Press he was told the aftermath was “very chaotic.”
Simmons condemned the incident as “senseless gun violence,” stating, “What we are experiencing now is just a proliferation of guns just being in circulation.” He noted that people were “just congregating and having a good time” downtown before the gunfire erupted.
The conditions of the 12 injured victims were not immediately clear on Saturday.
The investigation into the mass shooting is being conducted with assistance from multiple state and federal agencies. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation confirmed it is assisting, and FBI Director Kash Patel stated the bureau is “aware and engaged” with regard to the incident.
Mayor Lee has asked for prayers for his city as it grapples with the unprecedented violence.
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