A child was rushed to the hospital after bullets tore into an east Columbus home just after midnight, leaving a juvenile wounded and a quiet Summer Haven Drive block turned into an active crime scene. Officers were called to the 400 block of Summer Haven Drive shortly after midnight and found the young victim suffering from a gunshot wound. The child was taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle for treatment, and investigators quickly began combing the area for evidence, including shell casings. A vehicle parked outside the residence was also hit by gunfire.
According to The Commercial Dispatch, officers responded to the home at about 12:21 a.m. and discovered the wounded juvenile inside. The outlet reported that investigators collected shell casings from multiple rounds at the scene and that, by press time, no arrests had been made in the case.
Scene and evidence
WTVA reported that gunfire struck a vehicle parked in front of the residence and that detectives collected additional evidence from around the home. The station noted that the investigation remained active and that police had not identified any suspects.
Victim hospitalized; condition unknown
The juvenile was transported to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle, but officials had not released the victim’s condition by press time, according to The Commercial Dispatch. Baptist Memorial’s Columbus campus is the region’s primary emergency facility serving the Golden Triangle.
Regional context
The shooting comes amid a string of recent gun incidents involving teens in the Golden Triangle. Earlier this month, two teenagers were arrested after a drive-by shooting in Lowndes County, and local officials said the younger suspect faces adult charges under Mississippi’s new juvenile crime law that took effect July 1, as WTVA reported.
Police appeal for tips
The City of Columbus lists the police department’s non-emergency line as 662-244-3552, and law enforcement agencies commonly refer anonymous tips to Golden Triangle Crime Stoppers at 1-800-530-7151, per a Clay County Sheriff’s Office press release. Investigators urged anyone with information on the Summer Haven Drive shooting to contact Columbus police or Crime Stoppers as the probe continues.
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