John Willoughby
reporter2@greenepublishing.com
The Madison County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) is looking into an incident in Greenville that occurred in the early morning hours of Sunday, Feb. 16, injuring three individuals.
As reported by MCSO's Major David Harper, deputies responded to a report of a large fight involving gunshots at the Greenville Multi-Purpose Center on SW Grand Street around 12:24 a.m. Deputies observed a large crowd of male and female adults engaged in multiple physical altercations.
While pushing their way through numerous observers and instigators in an attempt to stop the fighting, approximately 20 gunshots were fired within close-proximity of the deputies from unknown individuals within the crowd. A deputy observed an unknown black male discharge three rounds into the ground from a handgun and flee on foot. The deputy began chasing the individual while commanding the suspect to stop, but lost sight of the suspect in the crowd that began to frantically disperse in multiple directions.
During crime scene processing, deputies were made aware of three individuals who had arrived at Madison County Memorial Hospital with injuries obtained from the incident in Greenville, including a victim of a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. The two other individuals sustained injuries by being struck with glass bottles.
A number of deputies and investigators who were off-duty at the time of the incident were called in to respond and assist. Investigation remains active and on-going. However, investigators have received very little cooperation from the numerous witnesses and limited cooperation from the victims, according to Maj. Harper.
If anyone has any information regarding this incident, you are asked to call MCSO's criminal investigation division at (850) 973-4152 or the Madison County Communications at (850) 973-4001, ext. 1.