A third person is behind bars in connection with a fatal mass shooting that happened hours after an annual St. Patrick’s Day parade in downtown Jackson.
Mississippi Department of Public Safety Officials said Kayne Davis, 18, was taken into custody out of state with assistance from U.S. Marshals. His arrest follows those of two brothers, Michael and Marquavius McLeod. At the time of the crime, Michael was a law enforcement officer at the University of Mississippi Medical Center but has since been fired from the position.
The McLeod brothers were each charged with first-degree murder and seven counts of aggravated assault. Davis is facing the same, charged with first-degree murder and seven counts of aggravated assault.
On March 23, around 7:15 p.m., gunfire rang out after thousands had convened in the capital city for Hal’s St. Paddy’s Parade. Local agencies responded near the intersection of Pearl and Lamar streets and found Cortez George, 21, deceased. Seven others, whose identities have not been released, were treated for injury.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones assured the public there was no connection between the parade and the shooting. He referred to those involved as “violent, crime-ridden, virus specimens” whose actions “cast a dark cloud over the city” and its events.
Capitol Police is leading the investigation but has received help from the Jackson Police Department and Hinds County Sheriff’s Office.