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By Giulia Carbonaro
Senior Reporter
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At least four people were killed and 16 were injured in a mass shooting around midnight on Friday in Leland, Mississippi, where many people were in town for a high school homecoming game, according to local officials.
Four of the victims were airlifted to area hospitals, Leland Mayor John Lee told CBS News. No suspects are currently in custody, and the investigation is ongoing.
Why It Matters
Prior to Friday's incident, there had been 335 mass shootings across the country since the beginning of the year, according to the Gun Violence Archive (GVA), which has tracked gun violence accidents since 2013. Last year, according to the Sandy Hook Promise, Mississippi was witness to 24 mass shootings.
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A mass shooting is any shooting that injures or kills four or more people, not including the shooter.
While this year so far there has seen fewer mass shootings than any time between 2020 and 2024, the numbers are still above pre-pandemic levels, topping those reported in any year between 2013 and 2019.
What To Know
Leland is located about 115 miles northwest of the state capital Jackson.
The city was celebrating the high school's homecoming at the time of the shooting, an occasion for which many flock to Leland from out of town. Those who had attended the football game against Charleston High School at Leland High School were gathered near the town’s Main Street when the shooting occurred.
Few details have been confirmed about the incident. The names of the victims have not yet disclosed, nor any information about if there was one or multiple shooters.
It is still unclear what led to the incident, Lee said, who added that all the victims are believed to be adults.
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What People Are Saying
Leland Mayor John Lee said on Saturday, per The New York Times: “This doesn’t normally happen in our city—it’s never happened before in our city."
He later added: “We’re making every effort to find out who did the shooting. My condolences to the family of the deceased. We’re just in prayer right now for our whole city because this is not something we represent here in the city of Leland.”
Mississippi state Senator Derrick Simmons told the Associated Press: “People were just congregating and having a good time in the downtown of Leland."
When speaking about investigators, Simmons added: “They are on the ground working and I have all the faith in the world that they will get to the bottom of this. As the state senator for the area, we are asking any and all individuals who might have any information regarding the horrific shooting last night to come forward and provide whatever information they have.”
What Happens Next?
An investigation into the shooting is ongoing, with the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation saying in a Saturday statement that it is taking part in it.
Update, 10/11/25 at 1:28 p.m. ET: This breaking news article was updated with more information on the incident.
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