The suspect involved in an overnight shooting at Ropers, a Hattiesburg nightspot, has been identified as Bryan Wright, 40, of Petal, Mississippi.
The Forrest County Deputy Coroner said there was at least one gunshot wound visible, Wright’s body will be sent to the State Crime Lab in Jackson for an autopsy.
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“We had an incident at Ropers parking lot, we received a call around 1:17 this morning,” said Hattiesburg Police Chief Anthony Parker. “We had to go into an active shooter scenario here tonight.” That incident described by multiple patrons was the sound of at least 10 to 15 or more shots being fired by a person in a truck in the front parking lot of the business, located at 6428 U.S. Highway 49. “We had a 10-50, which is an accident, the subject jumped a curb off 49 right in front of Ropers and shots were fired from inside the vehicle,” Parker said. “We also had two units already on scene, one of our officers returned fire.” “The subject was just shooting randomly, I can’t say too much right now, but he was shooting randomly, in the air, not necessarily at Ropers,” Parker said. source
After police returned fire, Wright apparently crashed his truck into another vehicle after jumping the curb outside the nightclub.
After the scene was secured, Wright was taken out of the truck and tended to by medical personnel and transported by ambulance from the scene. He was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
“At this time, we don’t have the particulars or any more information, the subject has been transported to Forrest General Hospital, at this time we have turned the scene over to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, since it’s one of our officers involved,” said Parker.
Parker added that no injuries were reported, from officers or from patrons inside and outside the bar.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends at this difficult time.