One person was shot to death and four others were wounded by gunfire Saturday at a residence in rural south central Tallahatchie County during what Sheriff Jimmy Fly described as “a family dispute that went very bad.”
Multiple weapons and at least two gunmen were involved in the incident that occurred shortly before 11:30 a.m., said Fly. The shootings were reported in an 11:26 a.m. call to the Tallahatchie County Jail in Charleston.
On Tuesday, Fly said officials still were piecing together the details of what happened. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation was called in to assist with the case, he added.
Tallahatchie County Coroner Ginger Meriwether said J.B. Watson, 55, was pronounced dead at the scene of the shootings, 700 Leverette Lane, Cascilla, where he reportedly had lived with his brother since moving from Detroit several months ago.
Meriwether said Watson’s body was sent to the Mississippi Forensics Laboratory in Pearl for an autopsy.
While an official cause of death is pending those results, the coroner said, “It appears to be a single gunshot wound to the chest.”
Fly identified those who were injured as J.B. Watson’s brother, David Watson Jr., 60, of the residence; their sister, Linda Ruth Jones, 55, of 220 Lynx St., Ruleville; Linda’s son, Jimmie Edward Townsend, 35, of 1491 Highway 8 E., Philipp; and a neighbor, Kenny Lee Patterson, 40, of 683 Leverette Lane, Cascilla, who lived across the road.
Suffering from a variety of gunshot wounds, three of the victims were treated in the emergency room at Tallahatchie General Hospital, while the fourth was taken to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Grenada, Fly noted, adding that all were eventually airlifted to medical facilities in Memphis or Jackson.
The sheriff said two of the victims were released from the hospital over the weekend. Two remained hospitalized Tuesday, one in stable condition and the other serious (having been upgraded from critical).
“It looks like everybody is going to pull through,” he said.
Saturday’s violence apparently unfolded amid preparations for a weekend fishing trip, the sheriff explained.
“From everything we’ve gathered so far, Kenny, Jimmie and J.B. were planning to go fishing Saturday,” noted Fly. “There was bait, tackle and fishing poles under the carport.”
Fly said the shootings took place around the carport and yard of the house, not inside.
There are no reports that physical altercations preceded the gunplay, the sheriff noted.
“Nobody has said anything about fighting,” he stated.
According to witnesses, J.B. Watson fired the first shots with a 12-gauge shotgun and allegedly also discharged a .22-caliber rifle and a .45-caliber handgun.
Fly said one of the victims — he declined to say who — eventually shot J.B. Watson. A 9 mm pistol was recovered from one of the victims, he added.
The total number of rounds fired from all of the guns is unknown, Fly noted.
The sheriff said all of the weapons involved have been sent to the Mississippi Crime Lab for analysis.
Fly said officials are awaiting results of the autopsy report to learn whether J.B. Watson had a sufficient blood alcohol content or elevated levels of other substances that might provide insight into what has been reported by family members as his sudden violent turn on Saturday.
Both Fly and Meriwether offered words of sympathy to all who were affected.
“It’s a tragic situation with a lot of family involved,” the sheriff said. “My heart goes out to all of the family for having to go through all of this.”
Noted Meriwether in her last remarks, “My prayers are with all of the family.”
IN THE PHOTO: Amid a heightened law enforcement presence, one of the gunshot victims from Saturday morning’s shootings is wheeled to a waiting medical helicopter at Tallahatchie General Hospital Saturday afternoon. The man was transported to a Memphis medical facility. (Photo by Clay McFerrin)
