News - 8 People Dead and More Than 20 Injured After 3 Separate Homecoming Shootings in Mississippi on the Same Night

Eight people are dead and more than 20 were injured after three separate high school homecoming celebrations in Mississippi ended in gunfire. The deadliest of the shootings occurred in the downtown area of Leland at around 12 a.m. local time on Saturday, Oct. 11, according to KSL.com and the Associated Press. Four people were killed at the scene, and two more died at the hospital, per the AP. The area was busier than usual as residents were out celebrating a homecoming game, the AP reported. “People were just congregating and having a good time in downtown Leland,” state senator Derrick Simmons said in remarks to the AP, adding that he was told by police that the scene was “very chaotic.” He continued, “It’s just senseless gun violence. What we are experiencing now is simply a proliferation of guns in circulation.” No arrests in connection with the shooting have been announced at this time. PEOPLE reached out to the Leland Police Department (LPD) on Sunday, Oct. 12, but did not receive an immediate response. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage, and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Another shooting took place at Heidelberg High School in Heidelberg, about 80 miles east of the state capital. Police said three people were shot on school grounds, and two of them died from their injuries, per the AP. Police declined to state whether the victims were students at the school, according to the outlet. Tylar Jarod Goodloe, 18, is currently in custody in relation to the Heidelberg shooting, according to a Facebook post from the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department (JCSD). PEOPLE reached out to the Heidelberg Police Department for comment on Oct. 12 but did not receive an immediate response. A third shooting took place in the state — also following an Oct. 10 homecoming game — in Sharkey County, according to a statement shared on Facebook by the Sharkey County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO). Authorities have “arrested and charged two individuals in connection with the shooting,” per the statement. “Sheriff Ceaser wants to make it absolutely clear that acts of violence in our community will not be tolerated. Our team of law enforcement officers are committed to pursuing justice swiftly and ensuring the safety of all residents and visitors that come to our county,” the statement continued. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims’ families during this incredibly difficult time. We ask the community to come together in support and remain positive as the investigation continues.” People reached out to the Sharkey County Sheriff’s Office on Oct. 12 but did not receive an immediate response.