STARKVILLE — Police are still seeking a suspect in an early Friday shooting in the Dave’s Dark Horse Tavern parking lot that left one person injured.
Gunfire rang out at about 12:30 a.m. and a 24-year-old male victim was flown to an out-of-area hospital for treatment, according to Starkville police. The victim is stable, Public Information Officer Brandon Lovelady said.
“We do not believe this is a random act of violence,” Lovelady said. “No arrest has been made yet, but the investigation is advancing. We are working with Dave’s Dark Horse Tavern and the hotel (Red Roof Inn) to both investigate this incident and to take preventative measures for safety in that area moving forward.”
Dave Hood, owner of Dave’s Dark Horse, told The Dispatch two people he had “never seen before” got into a dispute on the patio of the tavern. Bar security removed them, and the argument escalated into gunfire in the parking lot, which is shared with the Red Roof Inn.
“We are working with the police to make certain the people involved get arrested,” Hood wrote in a text to The Dispatch. “I had an extensive surveillance system installed last summer. It was an isolated incident, and I’ll do my best to prevent criminals from ruining the safe and inclusive atmosphere that took decades to create.”
By press time Friday, police had not publicly released a description of the suspect and declined to give further details of the shooting.
The tavern was open Friday evening.
“My employees handled it in different ways but they were all rattled,” Hood said. “I’m very proud of them.”
Anyone with information can contact SPD at (662) 323-4131, Golden Triangle Crime Stoppers at (800) 530-7151 or leave a tip on SPD’s website. All tips are anonymous.
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