A 12-year-old girl was killed, and two others were wounded Sunday when gunfire tore through a shopping center on South Street in Cleveland, Mississippi. Officers arrived to find three people shot, and the child was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Cleveland Police Department had raced to the area after multiple 911 calls about shots fired near Shopping City on South Street, according to WLBT. Investigators told reporters the violence started as a verbal argument between two men that turned into a fistfight and then spiraled into gunfire.
Police arrested 28-year-old Tiajon Butler at the scene. He is charged with aggravated assault and discharging a firearm within city limits, and a judge later denied him bond, WTVA reported. Prosecutors argued in municipal court that Butler is both a flight risk and a continuing danger to the community.
Another man, 30-year-old Ricky Williams, was also shot and is expected to face charges of murder, aggravated assault, and discharging a firearm once prosecutors formally file them, WLBT reports. Williams was taken to a hospital in Memphis, and officials said he will be extradited back to Cleveland when doctors clear him for transfer.
Charges And Court Status
Butler’s booking lists aggravated assault and firearm violations under city statutes, and the judge’s decision to deny bond means he will remain in custody while detectives continue their investigation, according to WTVA. Authorities say Williams will likely face the more serious homicide count once charges are formally lodged and he is returned to Cleveland for processing.
Police Call Shooting An Isolated Dispute
The Cleveland Police Department told reporters it believes the confrontation was an isolated dispute between the men and not part of a broader pattern of violence. Investigators have not released the 12-year-old girl’s name. Detectives are interviewing witnesses and combing through surveillance video from the shopping center as the case moves forward.
What Happens Next
Investigators say the inquiry is still active and that charges could change as more evidence is reviewed and prosecutors sort out the final list of counts. The killing of a child has left the community rattled, and police are urging anyone with information about the shooting to contact the Cleveland Police Department.
