A night meant for celebration turned into chaos and heartbreak across Mississippi as two separate homecoming events erupted in gunfire, leaving six people dead and many more injured in what authorities are calling an unthinkable weekend of violence.

Chaos in Leland

The first tragedy struck around midnight Saturday in downtown Leland, where families, students, and alumni had gathered after Leland High School’s homecoming football game against Charleston High.

Witnesses described a festive atmosphere that suddenly turned to terror as gunfire broke out on Main Street, sending crowds running for their lives. Some hid in cars or ducked behind nearby buildings; one woman later posted on social media that she “hid in someone’s trunk” to survive.

“Thank God, I’m okay,” she said in a trembling video. “We were supposed to be having fun.”

Mayor John Lee confirmed that four people were killed and 12 others wounded, with at least four victims airlifted to nearby hospitals. Their conditions remain unknown.

“Our prayers and condolences go out to the families of the deceased and those who were injured,” Lee told Fox News Digital. “Justice will be served.”

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is assisting local police as the search for the shooter continues. No suspects are in custody.

“This Has Never Happened Here Before”

Leland, a small town of roughly 4,000 residents in Washington County, is known for its tight-knit community and annual homecoming traditions.

“It was homecoming weekend, of course, and everybody’s family and friends and neighbors were together having fun in the downtown area, as we do every year,” Mayor Lee said. “This is not something that’s ever happened here before.”

But the tragedy comes amid concerns about rising gun violence in Leland. Earlier this year, the city declared a state of emergency and imposed curfews, 9 p.m. for minors and midnight for adults, to address what officials called “soaring violence.”

Another Shooting Hours Later in Heidelberg

Just hours after the Leland massacre, another shooting unfolded roughly three hours away in Heidelberg, where gunfire erupted at Heidelberg High School’s homecoming football game Friday night.

Police Chief Cornell White confirmed that two people were killed and at least one more wounded when shots rang out near the bleachers and baseball field shortly after the homecoming game against Mize High School.

Witnesses described a chaotic scene as people screamed, cried, and fled in panic. Officers from multiple agencies, including the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, Highway Patrol, Bay Springs Police, and Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, rushed to the school grounds, working through the night to secure the area and gather evidence.

“We will definitely pursue the person who caused this incident,” said Heidelberg Mayor Robert Barnett. “We can’t have things like this happen in our town.”

Person of Interest Taken Into Custody

By early Saturday, 18-year-old Tylar Jarod Goodloe had been taken into custody south of Bay Springs after citizens tipped off authorities. He is being described as a person of interest in the Heidelberg shooting but has not yet been formally charged.

Sheriff Randy Johnson said Goodloe was arrested without incident after a county-wide search.

Police have not identified the victims of the Heidelberg shooting, and investigators are still piecing together what led to the violence.

A State Shaken by Violence

The back-to-back shootings have left Mississippi communities reeling, their homecoming celebrations shattered by bloodshed.

In Leland, residents gathered Saturday evening to light candles and pray for peace. In Heidelberg, mourners stood outside the high school football field, leaving flowers and handwritten notes near the entrance.

“We were celebrating our kids and our town,” one Leland resident posted. “Now, all we can do is pray for peace.”

Mayor Lee vowed that justice will be served, while Heidelberg’s mayor promised to restore trust and safety in his community.

“The screaming, the crying — that sound doesn’t leave you,” one witness told local reporters. “No one should have to see that on homecoming night.”

As investigators from both cities continue their work, Mississippi mourns the loss of six lives in what was supposed to be one of the happiest weekends of the year.