Washington: In a chilling wave of violence that has left residents reeling, six people were gunned down in three separate shooting incidents across Mississippi late on Friday night.
The brazen attacks have sparked widespread panic in the region, marking the second major bloodshed in just three months.
Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott swiftly took one suspect into custody, easing immediate concerns for public safety. “The individual is no longer a threat to the community,” Scott announced in a social media update, though details on the motive or the accused’s identity remain under wraps. Police teams are interrogating the suspect to unravel the reasons behind the deadly spree.
Local reports from WTOK confirmed the grim toll, with the deceased’s bodies sent for postmortem examinations. Several others sustained injuries and were rushed to nearby hospitals for urgent treatment, but authorities have yet to disclose the exact number of wounded.
The incidents unfolded in Clay County, a quiet northeastern township with a population of around 20,000, named after 19th-century American statesman Henry Clay.
This tragedy echoes a haunting episode from October 10, 2025, when a post-football match shooting at a high school in Leland — about 190 kilometres from the state capital, Jackson — claimed four lives and left 12 injured. As investigations intensify, officials promise more updates, urging calm amid the growing shadow of gun violence in the area.