Quick arrests made in shooting outside Wal-Mart

Police responded to shots fired near the front of a busy Wal-Mart here Wednesday night and thanks to help from other agencies had the out-of-town suspects in custody by midnight. Amazingly, Chief Chris Robertson said, no one was hit.

Robertson said his department received a 911 call about 9 p.m. about the incident and found that it stemmed from a phone sale that had gone bad.

“Two different entities had met here as the halfway point to buy a phone,” Robertson said. The potential buyer was Ladarius Doss, 144 Lee St., Columbus, and he was accompanied by a female described as his girlfriend, Kahilynn Chapman, 20, of 117 Silver St., Okolona, and a juvenile family member.

The name of the seller was not immediately available but Robertson said he was not from here. The phone and money were exchanged, but the buyer apparently thought something was wrong. He asked for his money back but the seller refused and sped away.

“At that point the buyer pulled out a semi-automatic pistol and opened fire,” Robertson said. “This was right in front of Wal-Mart where there were families with children and other individuals all around.”

The shots were fired down the hill toward the highway as the seller headed for the frontage road and several shots hit the vehicle but the driver was not injured, the chief said. Six to eight shell casings were found at the scene.

“We are very fortunate that no one was hit,” he added.

With information from the victim and help from Wal-Mart loss prevention, Robertson said they were able to get a good idea who the suspects were and contacted law enforcement in Okolona and Columbus. Both suspects were known to law enforcement so local officers were able to take both into custody before midnight, although Robertson said he understood that Columbus had to call out their SWAT team to surround Doss’ house to force him to come out.

Doss is charged with aggravated assault facing a possible 20-year sentence and Chapman is charged with being an accessory after the fact. The chief said he expected bond to be set later Thursday.

“I talked with District Attorney Ben Creekmore last night and again this morning and we are taking this very seriously,” Robertson said. “This is something we are not going to put up with.”

Robertson stressed the case could not have been brought to a conclusion so quickly without the help of the Okolona and Columbus police departments and Chickasaw sheriff’s office.

The case remains under investigation so photos and more information may be available later today.

Bonds set on two arrested in shooting: http://newalbanyunionco.com/bond-set-in-shooting/