LELAND, Miss. (AP) – A shooting following a high school football homecoming game in Leland, Mississippi, left four people dead and approximately 20 injured Saturday, according to state Sen. Derrick Simmons. The incident occurred in the downtown area of the small town, which has a population of fewer than 4,000.
The shootings took place after people gathered to celebrate the homecoming game. Four victims were transported to a Greenville hospital and then flown to Jackson, where they remained in critical condition as of late Saturday morning. Simmons, who represents the region, stated he received updates directly from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies.
“People were just congregating and having a good time in the downtown of Leland,” Simmons said.He described the scene after the gunfire as “very chaotic,” with a meaningful response from police, sheriff’s deputies, and ambulances from surrounding areas.
No arrests have been made, and authorities have not yet released information regarding potential suspects. Simmons expressed confidence in the ongoing inquiry, stating, “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 is urging anyone with information about the shooting to come forward. “As the state senator for the area, we are asking any and all individuals who might have any information regarding the horrific shooting last night to come forward and provide whatever information they have,” he added.
The senator attributed the violence to a broader issue, saying, “It’s just senseless gun violence… What we are experiencing now is just a proliferation of guns just being in circulation.”