The Columbus Police Department has issued an arrest affidavit for the president of the Columbus Fair and Livestock Association for leasing the Columbus Fairgrounds for a weekend party without applying for an event permit from the city.
Jane Jordan, president of the Fair and Livestock Association and property manager for the Columbus Fairgrounds, will answer to a misdemeanor charge of violating a local ordinance before a Columbus municipal judge, as well as appear before the city council where she could face other sanctions, including temporarily losing the right to lease the fairgrounds property. If convicted of the charge, Jordan could face up to a $500 fine.
Jordan leased the fairgrounds for a party Sunday night and early Monday morning, when 25-year-old Columbus resident Jeremy Wells was shot in the parking lot and taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle. Wells was later flown to North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo where he remains in stable condition.
Monday’s shooting occurred shortly before 1 a.m. during a fight which began in the building and spilled out into the parking lot, Assistant Columbus Police Chief Fred Shelton said. Shelton said Wells was walking to his car when he was shot in the hip from behind.
Police do not have a suspect in custody for the shooting.
The ordinance
The council approved an ordinance in November 2014 stating property owners leasing venues for gatherings with more than 100 people expected to attend, and where alcohol would be consumed, must apply for an event permit with the city at least five days prior to the gathering. The ordinance came about, in part, to respond to a murder on the fairgrounds in May 2014 when 21-year-old Devin Montgomery was shot and killed at a graduation party.
Jordan told The Dispatch when she leased the premises, she was told the party would be private. She leased the property to Jennerio Jones, who she said did not specify how many people would be at the party. He also reportedly did not serve alcohol there.
“He knew what the rules were,” she said. “He’s rented before. Never a problem.”
She said she didn’t know why the party had more than 100 people but admitted the party’s size violated the ordinance. She also admitted party-goers were consuming alcohol.
“But let me tell you, if the party had been permitted … this incident would have happened anyway,” she told The Dispatch. “There was no way to stop this incident from happening even if it had been permitted.”
Since the city passed the ordinance in November 2014, Columbus Fairgrounds has filed for 19 event permits, including Jones’ Christmas party in 2015, City Public Information Officer Joe Dillon said. The council has yet to deny a permit request under the ordinance, he added.
Both Dillon and Jordan confirmed that each time the city issued a permit for an event, no incidents arose where police needed to be called.
When the city issues permits for specific events, it lets the CPD know when and where parties are so regular patrols can stop by and check IDs, make sure alcohol vendors have correct licenses, make sure parties don’t last too long and ensure fights don’t start, Shelton said.
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