High-school homecoming celebrations across Mississippi turned tragic over the weekend when at least three separate shootings left multiple people dead and dozens injured, officials said. The worst incident occurred in downtown Leland around midnight on Oct. 10, where authorities reported several fatalities and numerous wounded. Other shootings were reported in Heidelberg and Sharkey County; in one of those scenes an 18-year-old suspect has been taken into custody while investigations continue elsewhere. State and federal investigators have been deployed to assist local law enforcement.
Governors, local officials and school leaders issued condolences and urged calm as communities mourn. The shootings — which erupted in crowded, celebratory settings tied to high-school football events — have reverberated through the region’s tight-knit towns, prompting officials to discuss safety plans for upcoming weekend events and to warn families about the risks of large unsanctioned gatherings.