Concern grows among area business owners after triple shooting in East Columbus

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Two people remain in the hospital after a triple shooting Sunday night in the parking lot of a Columbus car wash.

Columbus Police have identified the suspect as Braylin “B-5” Edinburgh, but area businesses owners say the triple shooting is just the latest incident in the area that has them worried.

One even said they’d consider closing up shop if things don’t get better.

“Over the last six months, we’ve had several violent incidents out there in that area,” says Police Chief Fred Shelton. “None of them are related to each other.”

CPD says it got a call at around 9 p.m. for three gunshot victims that were admitted to the hospital. Chief Shelton says that led investigators to Mike’s Car Wash in the 700 block of Alabama Street.

“We respond to that scene. We did recover shell casings,” he says.

Police say it was a fight at the car wash parking lot between four men who knew each other that escalated into gunfire.

Earlier in January, five vehicles were shot up near the McDonald’s parking lot about half a mile down Alabama Street.

“They are just concerned about the shooting incidents in broad, open daylight around all the customers,” Chief Shelton says. “And for the safety of their customers and to try to keep their business operating where people feel safe to come there.”

In late December 2021, a 22-year-old was found shot to death near the community center in Columbus Heights.

Now local business owners are taking action.

“We’ve talked to the owners, some of the owners, and they’re interested in doing a business watch,” Chief Shelton says. “Sort of lookout for each other and report suspicious activities to one another.”

And while CPD will be installing its own cameras, Chief Shelton says they need as many eyes and ears in the area as possible.

“One of the businesses did say that they will purchase their own cameras for the business and be able to share that with the police department. So that’ll be a help,” he says.

Chief Shelton says that one of the three victims was treated and released from the hospital, while the other two are stable after suffering serious injuries.

Anyone with information on the shooting should call Columbus Police or Golden Triangle Crime Stoppers.