Two people died and a third person was critically injured in a shooting at an apartment complex in Meridian, Mississippi, on Tuesday morning, October 20, according to the Meridian Police Department, whose account was reported by Queen City Newsfeed and by WTOK and The Meridian Star.
Police received a call about shots fired at about 9:39 to 9:50 a.m. in the 2400 block of Fourth Avenue, at the St. Francis Apartments. Officers who arrived found three people who had been shot. Two of them died at the scene. The third victim was taken to a local hospital in critical condition and was then flown to Jackson for treatment, police said.
Assistant Chief Dareall Thompson told reporters at the scene that officers chased a person on foot for a short time and took that person into custody, and that in all four people were detained and were being questioned while investigators work out what happened. Police said there is no ongoing threat to the public. Officers recovered a weapon that they believe was involved in the incident, Thompson said.
Police have not announced any charges, have not established the detained people's roles, and have not released the names of the victims. Thompson said it was too early to say what led to the shooting or whether the people involved knew each other. WJTV also reported the toll — two killed and a third critically injured — and that four people were being questioned, citing The Meridian Star.
Known: the shooting happened Tuesday morning, October 20, in the 2400 block of Fourth Avenue; two people died at the scene; one person was critically hurt and airlifted to Jackson; four people were detained for questioning; a weapon was recovered. Not known: the motive, whether those involved knew each other, the victims' names (not released by police), and whether anyone will be charged.
What is solid
- Two people were found dead at the scene and a third was critically injured and airlifted to Jackson — Meridian Police Department via Queen City Newsfeed, WTOK and The Meridian Star.
- Four people were detained for questioning and no charges had been announced in the available reporting; being detained for questioning is not a charge.
What is only claimed
- Some people at the scene initially said three people had died; Assistant Chief Thompson corrected that on the record — two died and the third was airlifted to Jackson.