New details released Thursday surrounding a weekend shooting in Gloster include the use of an assault rifle, the arrest of an additional suspect and the filing of charges against the victim.
On Wednesday, authorities charged 22-year-old Christopher Bell and his brother 20-year-old Randy Bell, both of Gloster, in connection with the shooting of Derrick Lewis of Centreville. The shooting occurred outside of an apartment complex on West Railroad Boulevard around 8 p.m. Sunday.
Gloster Interim Police Chief Terry Boss said that gunfire erupted following a dispute at a large family gathering.
He said Christopher Bell, armed with a handgun, opened fire on Lewis, who also was armed and returned fire.
Lewis initially sustained gunshot wounds to his lower extremities until the younger Bell brother allegedly joined the fight with an assault rifle, approached Lewis and shot him in the stomach, authorities said.
Police and Amite County sheriff’s deputies recovered several .45-caliber and 7.62 mm shell casings from the scene, but have not yet recovered the weapons.
Christopher Bell faces a charge of aggravated assault, while Randy Bell faces a charge of attempted murder.
Earlier this week, authorities took Randy Bell into custody on an investigative hold, along with two other men, 23-year-old Martine Brown and 29-year-old Elando Jackson.
Both Brown and Jackson were cleared of all pending charges in connection with the shooting, though Jackson still remains in the Amite County jail on an unrelated charge, Amite County Sheriff Tim Wroten said.
Lewis, of Centreville, faces a charge of possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. He was removed from the intensive care unit but is still hospitalized at University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.
Randy Bell and Christopher Bell remain in the Amite County jail with no bonds set as of Thursday afternoon.
