GULFPORT, Miss — An officer involved shooting in Gulfport has resulted in one suspect fighting for their life in hospital.
Dozens of police officers called here to the Family Dollar on Pass Road in Gulfport after an officer involved shooting.
Police Chief Adam Cooper says, "This afternoon we responded to this area 911 call advising there was individuals pointing firearms at passing motorists, they gave a description of the suspects inside, we located this vehicle at the intersection of 8th avenue and Pass Road, we made contact with the individual, they then fled from the vehicle. One of our officers engaged with an armed individual, shots were fired and he was taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound."
Police say five people are in custody, one of them is in a critical condition. They wouldn't confirm the ages of the suspects. Police say several firearms were recovered, however, they did not say whether the person who was shot was carrying or fired a weapon. A witness tells us he's frustrated that someone was injured.
Marquell Bridges says he's a local activist told Eyewitness News, "We're outraged, we're heartbroken, tired is not the word. We're passed tired."
Other witnesses said they heard upwards of eight gun shots. Stan Moore says he comes to this Family Dollar twice a week, and when his son saw the news of the shooting, he says he called Moore to check he was ok, "It hurts, trying to bridge the gap between the community and the police is a big thing right now," Moore said.
He went on to say, "He was asking me dad was you in the store at the time because like I said I come here often, for him to ask me that and call, I rushed up here then."
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is now in charge of determining what happened here.
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