City of Meridian leaders are expressing outrage following a string of deadly shootings in the city over the weekend. 

Three people – including a 5-year-old boy – died in three unrelated shootings on Saturday. 

“I am sickened because of the 5-year-old’s death,” Mayor Jimmie Smith said during a news conference at police headquarters on Monday. “It’s terrible, and we have to do something about it.” 

“This last weekend was uncalled for and unnecessary,” said City Court Judge Dustin Markham, echoing Smith’s remarks. “We have to set a tone that it needs to stop.”

“My heart goes out to the ones who lost loved ones this weekend,” said Lt. Patrick Gale, the city’s acting police chief. “It’s not just a police issue, it’s the community as a whole. We need to fight together to get our city back.”

Police continue to investigate the three deaths. The first, a drive-by shooting, occurred around 3:55 a.m. Saturday in the 1900 block at Old Marion Road.

When authorities arrived, they found a 5-year-old boy dead from gunshot wounds. The child, identified as Zy’kerioun Brown, was not the intended target in the shooting, police said. No suspects have been named in the case.

MPD Detective James LaGoy said those involved in the shooting should turn themselves in to police.

“I can assure everybody that our entire department is going to find out who did this,” he said. “And if anybody is harboring these people…we are coming after them, too.” 

Second shooting 

Around 7 a.m., police responded in the 3800 block of Davis Street, finding a man dead from gunshot wounds. The victim was identified as Robert Croft, 29, of Meridian.

A suspect, Samson Jones, 41, of Meridian, was taken into custody at the scene and later charged with murder. Jones is being held on a $1 million bond. Police said the shooting was the result of an argument over a woman. 

Third shooting

At about 7 p.m., police responded in the 1900 block of Old Marion Road Apartments, finding a man with multiple gunshot wounds. The man was taken to a local hospital, where he later died. 

Police identified the victim as Garland Jai Murray, Jr. 29, of Meridian and have not yet named a suspect in the shooting. 

People with any information in any of the cases are urged to call the Meridian Police Department East Mississippi Crimestoppers at 1-855-485-TIPS.