LELAND, Miss. (BN24) — A pair of shootings at high school homecoming celebrations on opposite ends of Mississippi left six people dead and many more injured Friday night, shattering what were supposed to be joyful community events, authorities said.
In the western part of the state, four people were killed and about 20 others were wounded when gunfire erupted in downtown Leland after a high school football homecoming game. The town, located in the Mississippi Delta and home to fewer than 4,000 residents, had drawn crowds of people celebrating in the streets when the violence broke out.
State Sen. Derrick Simmons said Saturday that four of the injured were in critical condition and had been airlifted from a hospital in nearby Greenville to a larger medical center in Jackson, the state capital. Simmons said he was receiving updates from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies working on the case.
“People were just congregating and having a good time in the downtown of Leland,” Simmons said. He described the aftermath as “very chaotic,” with police, sheriff’s deputies and ambulances rushing in from surrounding areas.
Simmons condemned the violence as “senseless” and blamed the widespread circulation of firearms for the tragedy. As of Saturday morning, no arrests had been made and authorities had not announced any suspects. “They are on the ground working and I have all the faith in the world that they will get to the bottom of this,” Simmons said, urging anyone with information to come forward.
Meanwhile, in the eastern part of the state, two people were shot and killed during homecoming celebrations in Heidelberg, a small town of about 640 residents located 85 miles southeast of Jackson.
Heidelberg Police Chief Cornell White said both victims were killed on the school campus Friday night during the homecoming football game for the Heidelberg Oilers. White declined to say whether the victims were students or provide further details but confirmed that police were searching for a suspect.
The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office said an 18-year-old man was being sought for questioning in connection with the Heidelberg shooting and urged the public to share any information. It remains unclear exactly when the gunfire occurred or how close it was to the stadium. White said investigators remained at the scene Saturday and more details were expected in the coming days.
The two incidents have left communities on opposite sides of Mississippi reeling. What began as nights of celebration and school spirit ended in tragedy, underscoring ongoing concerns about gun violence across the state.
