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A tragic series of shootings during high school football and homecoming events across Mississippi resulted in multiple casualties on Friday (October 10) night and early Saturday. In Leland, a small town about 120 miles northeast of Jackson, gunfire erupted shortly after midnight on the main street following Leland High School's homecoming game against Charleston.
The shooting left four people dead and at least 12 others injured, with four victims in critical condition. The town's mayor, John Lee, expressed shock, stating, "This is definitely a tragedy to us" as Leland is a small community where "everybody knows everybody" and such incidents are unprecedented.
Meanwhile, in Heidelberg, about 200 miles southeast of Leland, another shooting during a homecoming celebration claimed two lives and injured at least one person. Police Chief Cornell White reported that one victim was found on the baseball field and another near the bleachers. Authorities have identified 18-year-old Tylar Jarod Goodloe as a person of interest in connection with the shooting. He was taken into custody for questioning.
A third shooting incident occurred at South Delta High School in Rolling Fork during a football game, where at least two people were wounded. The Sharkey County Sheriff’s Department confirmed the injuries but has not made any arrests.
There is no indication that the shootings in Leland, Heidelberg, and Rolling Fork are connected. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and other agencies are assisting in the ongoing investigations.