6 Dead, 16 Injured in Twin High School Shootings in Mississippi

At least six people have been killed and sixteen others injured in two separate shootings during high school homecoming events in the southern U.S. state of Mississippi.

Four victims lost their lives and twelve sustained injuries when gunfire erupted around midnight on Friday in Leland, a small city of about 3,800 residents. The incident occurred on the town’s main street, where crowds had gathered to celebrate a local high school’s homecoming game, according to Mayor John Lee.

State Senator Derrick Simmons confirmed that several of the victims were airlifted to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in critical condition. Local authorities said the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation has taken charge of the case, though no suspects have been identified.

“We are praying for our city and for the families of the deceased and injured,” Mayor Lee said, expressing condolences to the victims’ families.

In a separate incident about 322 kilometres away, two people were shot dead during another homecoming weekend celebration in Heidelberg.

Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports suggest a possible third shooting at Rolling Fork High School, approximately 64 kilometres south of Leland. The Sharkey County Sheriff’s Department reportedly responded to the scene, but further details have not been released.

Investigations into all the incidents are ongoing.