Mississippi man killed, 6 injured when shooter runs past restaurant security, opens fire

A young man is dead and at least six other people were shot during a Mississippi Cinco de Mayo party late Friday. 

Ocean Springs Police Capt. Ryan LeMaire said in a news release that seven people were shot at The Scratch Kitchen on Government Street. 

Police responded to the scene at 10:51 p.m. local time.

The deceased person was identified by LeMaire to Fox News Digital as 19-year-old Chase Harmon, of Moss Point.

The surviving victims were transported to area hospitals for treatment.

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Several of them were treated and later released. One person was airlifted to a facility in New Orleans and another was in surgery. 

As of Saturday afternoon, no arrests had been made and the investigation is ongoing.

LeMaire said that the department was still combing through surveillance video. 

One man seen in surveillance photos was ruled out as a suspect, per WLOX.

“We urge anyone with any information to call the Ocean Springs Police Department at 228-875-221,” LeMaire said in the release. 

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The Sun Herald reported that Ocean Springs Mayor Kenny Holloway was at the scene on Saturday as police examined the area.

One woman told the paper that she had tried to give the victim CPR after he fell. 

“I just couldn’t leave here knowing I tried everything I could to try and help him,” Abranee Goldsmith said. “This type of thing does not happen in Ocean Springs. You get drunk mishaps, but not a death.” 

The restaurant’s owner Brittany Alexander told The Sun Herald that staff had alerted her that the shooter had run past security without getting patted down or his driver’s license checked. 

“The person who did the shooting wasn’t a customer,” she said. “He didn’t get an arm band or anything to be out here.”

 

Security frisks every person who enters the area and patrons are presented with an arm band after paying the cover. Alexander said around 200 people were at the restaurant at the time of the shooting.

Ocean Springs is about four miles east of Biloxi, Mississippi.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.