Three shootings in McComb on Friday and Saturday left two people dead and five others wounded — including a man who was shot twice within a span of about two hours — shattering the peace in a city that has already seen significant violence this year.
Dominic McCoy, 17, and Shamarkese “Dansha” Smith, 29, both of McComb, became the 15th and 16th victims of homicide in Pike County of 2022 after they were gunned down while driving in the city in two separate shootings.
McComb police apprehended Jessie Gray around 6:30 p.m. Friday and Wayne Nobles III about an hour later and charged them with murder in connection with the death of McCoy, who was shot on the corner of Burke and White streets around 12:30 a.m. Friday.
On Saturday, gunshots rang out again at 2:04 a.m. Saturday as police were breaking up a fight in the parking lot of the Ice House lounge. Three people were injured in that incident — Johnell Granger, 28, Quardavion White, 20, and Travanda Haynes, 42. They all suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were treated at Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center.
Darnell Bright, 33, is wanted on three counts of aggravated assault in connection with the Ice House shooting, and Granger’s brother, Johnny Granger, 30, has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault.
Johnny Granger was identified from the bar’s security camera footage and arrested later at Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center while his brother was being treated, Ward said.
“We don’t know who shot who. We just know these two guys were shooting,” Ward said.
Johnell Granger, who was grazed in the head in the shooting at the Ice House, was released from the hospital and riding in a car when someone opened fire on it in the 400 block of Delaware Avenue around 4:30 a.m.
He was shot in the head in the second shooting, as was Smith, Granger’s girlfriend, who had picked him up at the hospital.
Smith was pronounced dead at the scene. Her 13-year-old daughter, who also was in the car, was wounded and apparently unaware of her injury. She managed to walk to a nearby house and call police. Police Chief Garland Ward said officers arrived to find the teen holding her 5-month-old sister, who was covered in blood but unhurt.
“She stated that her mother was still in the car on Delaware,” Ward said.
Officers rounded the corner and found a white BMW crashed into a business and Smith slumped over the steering wheel, along with a wounded Granger.
Neither the teenage girl nor officers realized she had been shot until they noticed that she was bleeding, Ward said
“She was actually shot in the head. The hospital didn’t know that until we did a CT scan,” he said. “She was talking to us. She was coherent.”
The teen and Granger were taken to Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center and then airlifted to an out-of-town hospital with critical injuries. The infant was placed into the custody of Child Protective Services, Ward said.
McComb police hadn’t established a motive in the shooting. They have not identified a suspect.
“We’re still investigating all cases,” Ward said.
