According to an HPD press release by Ryan Moore, the Hattiesburg Police Department has charged six Lamar County juveniles in connection to multiple felony crimes and recovered 16 weapons. The investigation was assisted by the Lamar County Sheriff’s Department.
One male 15-year-old, two male 14-year-olds, two male 13-year-olds, and one male 12-year old, all of Lamar County, have been charged with multiple felonies.
The charges and incidents are listed below:
Two counts of aggravated assault in reference to the 1810 Country Club Road shooting that occurred on Sept. 3, 2022, that injured two.
Two counts of shooting into an occupied dwelling in reference to 1810 Country Club Road and Blakenship Circle that occurred on Sept. 3, 2022. (No injuries were reported)
A 13-year-old & 15-year-old are both also charged with one count of grand larceny auto in reference to a stolen vehicle from the Hub City on Sept. 1, 2022.
At this time, the 13-year-old & 15-year-old are also charged with one count of commercial burglary, in reference to Heritage Firearms being burglarized and nine guns stolen on Thursday Sept. 1, 2022.
With the joint investigation, 18 weapons were recovered at a residence on Dale Drive, in Lamar County. Additional charges are pending from both agencies as portions of the investigation continues. Five of the juveniles have been booked into the Forrest County Jail, and one juvenile was sent to the Forrest County Juvenile Detention Center.
The related crimes qualify the juveniles to be charged as adults. In Mississippi, when a crime is committed by a juvenile while using a handgun, the law requires that they be charged as adults.
A woman on Facebook stated,
“They started shooting at my kids and other kids that were playing in the circle on Friday and came back again Saturday…”