Crime
Victims killed in Christmas Eve shooting in Lauderdale County identified, suspect charged
The suspect, 50-year-old Joseph Spinks of Toomsuba, has been charged with three counts of murder.
Lauderdale County, MS – Sheriff Ward Calhoun has confirmed the tragic deaths of three victims following a Christmas Eve shooting in Lauderdale County.
The victims were identified as 64-year-old Johnnie L. Mosley of the Lauderdale community, 48-year-old Shunda Faye Brown of the Porterville community, and 15-year-old Treyvone Young, a student at Northeast Lauderdale High School who was just one day shy of his 16th birthday.
The suspect, 50-year-old Joseph Spinks of Toomsuba, has been charged with three counts of murder.
Sheriff Calhoun revealed that Spinks was already out on bond for a felony DUI charge at the time of the shooting.
Following these new charges, all previously issued bonds have been revoked.
Spinks is currently being held at the Lauderdale County Detention Facility without bond, pending a presentation of the case to the next available grand jury.
The shooting occurred on Christmas Eve at approximately 7:10 PM at a residence in the 9500 block of Northeast Cole Road.
According to Sheriff Calhoun, the Lauderdale County E-911 dispatch received reports that three individuals had been shot.
When deputies and Metro officers arrived at the scene, they discovered:
- One victim had been transported to a local hospital by car.
- A second victim, a female, was treated at the scene before being transported by ambulance.
- The third victim was unresponsive, prompting officials to contact Lauderdale County Coroner Stella McMahan.
Deputies immediately began gathering information on the suspect, who had fled the scene.
By approximately 9:30 PM, they located Spinks and his vehicle in the 7000 block of Welch Road. Spinks was apprehended at a nearby residence and taken into custody without incident.
Early the following morning, he was formally charged with murder and booked into the Lauderdale County Detention Facility.
Sheriff Calhoun stated that the investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be filed as more details emerge. Authorities are also pursuing leads on another person of interest who may have been involved in the shooting.
“This tragic event has left our community in mourning. We are working diligently to ensure justice is served for the victims and their families,” said Sheriff Calhoun.
The loss of 15-year-old Treyvone Young has deeply affected the local community, particularly his schoolmates and staff at Northeast Lauderdale High School. Sheriff Calhoun extended his condolences to the families of all three victims and assured the public that every effort is being made to bring clarity and accountability to this devastating incident.
Anyone with additional information regarding the case is urged to contact the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office.
Crime
ICE Tear Gas Canister Strikes Family Vehicle in Minneapolis, Six Children Hurt, Including Infant, Taken to Hospital
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Emergency responders and community members reported a distressing incident during ongoing federal immigration enforcement activity in south Minneapolis, involving the use of tear gas and other crowd-control tactics by federal agents and resulting in injuries to several civilians, including children.
According to local witnesses and media reports, after a federal law enforcement operation involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) earlier in the week, tensions remained high in the surrounding neighborhood.
In one reported episode, residents attempting to leave an area where tear gas was being deployed sought to escape the effects of the chemical agents by entering a vehicle.
As tear gas canisters spread through nearby streets, a family with multiple children, including infants and young minors, was forced to shelter inside their car.
A tear gas canister reportedly landed under or near the vehicle, causing widespread irritation and breathing difficulties for those inside.
Emergency services were called, and some family members — including the children — were taken by ambulance for medical evaluation after experiencing breathing issues.
One infant was reported to have experienced breathing distress and received emergency medical attention.
Reports from bystanders indicated that parents administered first aid at the scene, including mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for a young child, before paramedics arrived.
Witness accounts describe the situation as chaotic but nonviolent on the part of the civilians, with several families attempting simply to leave the area as federal agents used tear gas and less-lethal munitions.
Those accounts state that no active threat to officers was present at the time the gas was deployed near the family vehicle.
Authorities have not yet released an official statement confirming the specific details of this encounter or whether federal agents intended to target the vehicle.
The Minneapolis Police Department and federal agencies involved in the operation have not publicly corroborated all aspects of the civil accounts, and the situation remains under review by local law enforcement.
Officials continue to investigate multiple related events unfolding in Minneapolis, including other recent uses of force by federal agents.
Local health officials and emergency responders are urging anyone affected by tear gas exposure to seek medical attention.
Community leaders have called for a thorough and transparent review of federal crowd-control tactics and their impact on bystanders, particularly children and other vulnerable individuals.