FURTHER UPDATE:
The Philadelphia Police Department has made arrests in connection with the early morning shooting on July 12 that claimed the life of 19-year-old Jamari Hickman and injured three others.
The following individuals have been arrested and charged:
Ja’Tavious Johnson, 20, of Carthage, Mississippi
Jacob Triplett, 20, of Carthage, Mississippi
Both suspects have been charged with First-Degree Murder and three counts of Attempted Murder.
Both men were arrested in Leake Co. with the assistance of Carthage Police Department and the Leake Co Sheriff’s Office.
On July 12, 2026, at approximately 12:15 a.m., officers responded to the area of W. Walnut Street after receiving multiple reports of shots fired and multiple victims. The shooting occurred during a large birthday gathering attended by individuals from several surrounding counties.
Upon arrival, officers found Jamari Hickman suffering from multiple gunshot
wounds. Officers immediately began rendering aid until emergency medical personnel arrived. Hickman was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.
Three additional victims were transported to a local hospital by private vehicle. One female sustained a gunshot wound to the leg and was later transferred to another hospital for additional treatment. The other two victims—a female who was grazed in the arm and a male who was grazed in the leg—were treated and released later that night.
This remains an active and ongoing investigation, and additional arrests are expected.
Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact the Philadelphia Police Department.
UPDATE: Philadelphia Police have identified the victim in Sunday’s fatal shooting as 19-year-old Jamari Hickman.
PHILADELPHIA, Miss. — Four people were shot, including one person who was killed, during a shooting early Sunday morning on West Walnut Street, according to the Philadelphia Police Department.
Police said the first 911 calls came in at 12:02 a.m. reporting multiple people had been shot in a large crowd gathered on Walnut Street. Officers arrived to find Hickman suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported by ambulance to Neshoba General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Hickman was a 2026 graduate of Philadelphia High School, where he played multiple sports for the Tornadoes, including football and basketball.
Three other people were also injured in the shooting. A woman who was shot in the leg was transported by private vehicle to a local hospital before being transferred to a Jackson hospital for additional treatment. Two other victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were treated and released.
No arrests have been announced, and the shooting remains under investigation.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Philadelphia Police Department at 601-656-2131 or East Mississippi Crime Stoppers at 1-855-485-8477.
