Shootout sparks response from Columbus Police
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – A shootout sparks response from Columbus Police.
An after-prom party ended violently this past weekend.
“I got alarmed by a grandparent. A grandparent called me,” said Columbus Police Chief Joseph Daughtry.
That’s how the chief first learned about a shooting at an after-prom party at the Columbus Fairgrounds this past weekend.
He later learned the party happened after the Columbus High prom.
Police believe at least 40 shots were fired in the shootout between two groups.
“To look at some of these young people faces, it alarmed me. Some of them were scared. Some of them were horrified. And it’s because two individuals, two separate groups of individuals, decided that they wanted to be bad and shoot at each other,” said Daughtry.
Investigators said a diss song was playing during the party and that led to the gunfire.
No one was hurt, but three vehicles were hit multiple times.
Security and parents were at the private event off Highway 69.
“The issue was the people who didn’t want to go to the party. They just wanted to sit in the parking lot and be a nuisance to see who’s going in or who’s coming out. Those are the ones,” said Daughtry.
Now, Daughtry wants his officers to be more aggressive in their approach to loitering.
“What they call ‘parking lot pimping’ is over with. When we ride through the parking lots of these night clubs, when we ride through the parking lot of these different business establishments, if you’re hanging in a parking lot and you’re not going in, we’re going to investigate you. We’re going to talk to you. And if you got warrants, you’re going to jail,” said Daughtry.
No suspects have been found, but CPD is talking to parents to help identify who is responsible for the shooting.
The event was not school-sponsored.
If you have any information, contact Columbus Police, Golden Triangle Crime Stoppers, or use the P3 tips app.
