Most people on the Gulf Coast were glad to say “Good-bye” to 2021. Many parties were held to pay tribute to the moment. Unhappily, in one such moment, a few party-goers let their anger get away from them, and a New Year’s Eve party in Gulfport turned into a shootout, resulting in four deaths and one person wounded.
The incident
The party was originally intended as a family reunion, but it soon grew into a block party. Police believe that one or two of the party goers got into a fight that soon produced shooting. The 911 call was made at 11:58 p.m. Several people at the party had apparently fired shots at the crowd. Seven people were struck by bullets in the resulting crossfire. Three of the fatalities were in their mid to late twenties. All three were male. A fourth shooting victim, a 53-7ear old man died on Sunday morning. He had been in critical evening since he was wounded. Police said that three other individuals, two men and a woman, were wounded, but their injuries were not life–threatening.
Photos of the scene showed several chairs arranged in a semi-circle near a fire pit. Children’s law toys were scattered about in the back yard.
Police seeking witnesses
So far, the police have been unable to find any witnesses that are agreeable to providing information about the incident. Despite numerous pleas for help, no one has come forward with any information about the identity of the shooters or the cause of the initial fight. The Gulfport Police Department has promised anonymity to anyone who provides information about the party, the fight, or the shootings.
Breaking this case will obviously require many man-hours of intense police work. Anyone facing charges in this case or a similar case may benefit from consulting an experienced criminal defense attorney. An experienced attorney can evaluate the evidence, develop helpful legal defenses to the charges and, if appropriate, work with the prosecutors in an effort to negotiate an acceptable plea agreement.