### Tragic Shooting at Mississippi Homecoming Celebration Leaves Three Dead and Eight Injured

LEXINGTON, Miss. (AP) – A celebration following a high school football game ended in tragedy early Saturday morning in central Mississippi. At least two individuals opened fire on a group of 200 to 300 people who were celebrating a school's homecoming football victory, resulting in three fatalities and eight injuries, local authorities confirmed.

The shooting erupted several hours after the game on an outdoor trail approximately five miles from Lexington, Mississippi. According to Holmes County Sheriff Willie March, the chaotic incident was preceded by a fight among some men at the celebration, although the cause of the altercation is still unknown.

"It was chaos, to tell you the truth," said Sheriff March in a phone interview. "The shooting just started, and people started running."

The victims who lost their lives were identified as two 19-year-olds and a 25-year-old. The injured individuals were airlifted to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Following the disturbance, deputies at the scene collected ammunition to determine the number of weapons involved. Sheriff March noted that shootings by young men have been a recurring issue in the county, which has nearly 16,000 residents. The sheriff mentioned that disputes among the youth are often cited as reasons for such violence, although the exact triggers remain unclear.

"It's hard to see what they are fighting over. I don't think they are fighting over turf or drugs," March said. "These are young men walking around with weapons. I wish I had an answer."

The incident underscores the ongoing challenges faced in curbing youth violence in the region, as the community grapples with the impact of this devastating event.