Three teens killed, several injured in mass shooting in Indianola
INDIANOLA, Miss. (WXVT/WCBI) – Three 19-year-olds are dead and several others are injured after a mass shooting in Indianola, Mississippi.
According to our state-wide news partner WXVT, the Sunflower County coroner, Heather Burton, confirmed that Areon Butler, a member of the class of 2024, died at the scene on Sunday.
The other two deceased are Cameron Lee Butts and Marquette Baites, both of Greenville.
The Indianola Police Department also confirmed that as many as 16 others were shot directly or by ricochet bullets during the massacre.
Anywhere from two to four victims were flown out Monday morning by helicopter, while others were treated at South Sunflower County Hospital.
IPD Chief Ronald Sampson said that as of 10 a.m., there is still no motive or suspect or suspects in the shooting.
It is still very early in the investigation, and official interviews with witnesses and victims should begin in the next 24 hours, police said.
Sampson said that prior to the shooting, there was a large crowd of people gathered around a club on Church Street.
Police officers were on the scene when the shooting began.
Sampson said that officers were in the process of setting up barricades at Second Street and Church Street to help the flow of traffic and to clear the grounds of the nearby Sunflower County Courthouse.
Sampson said that when the shooting occurred, multiple off-duty officers came to the scene to assist first responders.
He said that the Sunflower County Sheriff’s Department assisted along with the Indianola Fire Department.
Dozens of live and spent bullets were found at the scene.
Crime has been a hot topic in Indianola of late, especially after a night and morning of shootings and property damage occurred over the Memorial Day weekend.
This will likely be a topic of discussion when the city’s elected officials hold their regular board meeting on Monday night.
