Daijiworld Media Network - Leland
Leland, Oct 14: Three people have been arrested on murder charges and a fourth on attempted murder following a weekend mass shooting in Leland that left six dead and over a dozen injured, the FBI confirmed Monday.
Teviyon L. Powell, 29, William Bryant, 29, and Morgan Lattimore, 25, face capital murder charges, hile Latoya A. Powell, 44, has been charged with attempted murder, an FBI spokesperson said. Authorities have not disclosed whether the suspects have legal representation.
The shooting occurred during homecoming weekend celebrations shortly after a high school football game in downtown Leland. Witnesses described a chaotic scene with blood-stained streets and abandoned shoes. “It was the most horrific scene I’d ever seen,” said witness Camish Hopkins. Four victims died at the scene.
Authorities have not revealed a motive, but the FBI noted the incident “appears to have been sparked by a disagreement among several individuals.” Additional arrests are expected as the investigation continues in the rural northwest Delta region.
The Leland shooting is the 14th mass killing in the U.S. in 2025, according to the AP/USA TODAY/Northeastern University Mass Killing Database, which tracks incidents where four or more people are intentionally killed in a 24-hour period.
Elsewhere in Mississippi, a separate shooting in Heidelberg left two dead, including a pregnant woman, on a high school campus Friday night. An 18-year-old man has been arrested and charged with two counts of murder and illegal possession of a gun on campus. Heidelberg is a small town of about 640 residents, located 85 miles southeast of Jackson.
Additional shootings occurred over the weekend at Alcorn State University in Claiborne County, where one person died, and at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, where a juvenile was shot in the abdomen. No arrests have been made in these cases.
The series of shootings across the state underscores growing concerns over public safety during high-attendance events, including homecoming celebrations and sporting events.