Ocean Springs mayor calls mass shooting ‘an intentional act’

Margaret Baker
·1 min read
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Ocean Springs Mayor Kenny Holloway issued a statement Saturday to address a mass shooting downtown that resulted in the death of one person and injuries to six others.

Holloway called the shooting “an intentional act” and not a random act of violence, among other things.

Read the mayor’s full statement below:

“The City of Ocean Springs is a vibrant community with one of the best downtowns in the entire state and the region. Our city and community thrive on small business owners’ success. Our downtown continues to be a tourist destination with a popular entertainment district. With this attractiveness, our city leaders have high standards for all of our small businesses.

“The shooting on Friday, May 5, in downtown, has been a terrible disruption to our community. The senseless act of violence has shaken our small town and has shown a disregard for others’ safety, not only in our downtown district but throughout our city. This was not a random act of violence but it was an intentional attack.

“We will not allow those who have no respect for our standards to disrupt our city’s brand, reputation, and above all, our quality of life. A safe life. We have zero tolerance for violence and we do not allow this type of behavior from any business owner, visitor, or resident. We will exhaust all resources to keep our streets safe for everyone.

“Our public safety officers work tirelessly and diligently to keep our beautiful city secure. Ocean Springs is strong, resilient, and safe.”

The shooting happened Friday night, resulting in the death of 19-year-old Chayse Harmon, Jackson County Deputy Coroner James Prisock said.

The shooting happened at the The Scratch Kitchen on Government Street.

Ocean Springs police made an arrest Saturday, but in an unprecedented move, Police Chief Mark Dunston said the identity of the suspect was not going to be released at that time due to the ongoing investigation.

It’s still unclear what led to the shooting despite the comments from the mayor.