UPDATE: Charges against Demonta McGee have been officially upgraded from aggravated assault to murder. His bond has been set at $500,000.
Original story:
One Kosciusko man is dead, another will be charged with murder following a shooting on Peachtree Street near West North Street around 6:20 p.m. Friday night.
Kosciusko Police Chief Herbert Dew said on-duty officers heard the shots and were en route to the location when the first call reporting the incident came in.
“Upon arrival, police found one black male laying in the road ditch along Peachtree Street who had been shot at least one time,” said Dew Saturday morning. “At that time, he was responsive and was transported to Baptist Attala and then airlifted to UMMC.”
Dew said he learned this morning that the victim, 20-year-old Tyreece Thomas, a former Holmes County resident living on West Adams Street in Kosciusko, had succumbed to his injuries.
“My understanding, as of 7:25 this morning, is that he died,” said the chief.
Police arrested 21-year-old Demonta McGee, a Holmes County native living on West North Street in Kosciusko, for the shooting Friday night.
“At the time last night, when we took him into custody, we were charging him with aggravated assault,” said Dew. “Needless to say, those charges will be upgraded.”
The chief said at least five individuals were present at the location at the time of the shooting, including Thomas and McGee.
“There has been an ongoing rift between these two groups and there may actually be some charges in Holmes County related to the same rift they had going,” said Dew.
The incident remains under investigation and the department is continuing interviews with all the witnesses to the incident.
“At least five people were present, and we haven’t talked to all five yet,” he said. “This is still under investigation and more charges are possible.”
