3 dead, 8 injured in Mississippi trail shooting; suspects being sought, sheriff says

Three people were killed and eight were injured in Holmes County, Mississippi, early Saturday when at least two people opened fire into a group of several hundred celebrating a school’s homecoming football win at an outdoor trail after the game ended, authorities say.

The shooting at the trail was after homecoming for Holmes County Consolidated Schools, CBS affiliate WJTV reported.  Anywhere from 200 to 300 people were on the trail celebrating, and the gunfire sent them fleeing, Sheriff Willie March said in a phone interview to the Associated Press. The gunfire was proceeded by a fight between some of the men at the celebration, but deputies hadn’t yet learned what sparked the fight, March said.

The shooting occurred on Highway 17 North outside the city of Lexington in Holmes County, according to WJTV. Holmes County is about 70 miles north of Jackson, the state capital.

“It was chaos, to tell you the truth,” March said. “The shooting just started and people started running.”

The three victims were identified as: Martel Gibson, 25, of Durant; Shundra Chestnut, 19, of Kosciusko; and John Jenkins, 19, of Durant.

Suspects are being sought in the shooting, WJTV reported. Deputies were collecting ammunition at the scene in an effort to determine how many weapons were fired, March said.

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is assisting in the case, a spokesperson confirmed to CBS News on Saturday.

“It’s hard to see what they are fighting over. I don’t think they are fighting over turf or drugs,” March said. “These are young men walking around with weapons. I wish I had an answer.”