No arrests have been made in a Christmas Eve shooting that left one dead and four wounded, according to the Columbus Police Department.
A CPD press release issued Sunday reported a 22-year-old man and a 48-year-old man got into an argument at a Christmas Eve party at a home in the 90 block of Luxapalila Drive. Weapons were produced and gunfire erupted, leaving the 48-year-old fatally shot.
Lowndes County Coroner Greg Merchant identified the victim as Algren Hampton, a resident at the home.
According to the press release, the 22-year-old is in critical but stable condition. A 38-year-old victim also is listed in critical but stable condition, and a 56-year-old female and a 28-year-old male are all listed in stable condition. All of the victims underwent emergency surgery for their injuries.
Incoming CPD Chief Joseph Daughtry told The Dispatch this morning that a person of interest had been identified, and he expects an arrest in the near future.
Daughtry would not comment this morning on whether the suspect was among the wounded. He also would not confirm the number of shooters, citing the ongoing investigation. He did confirm that all the victims knew one another.
“It was a house party,” he said. “(There were) relatives and friends in the house.”
Children were in the house when the shooting started, he said, but none were injured.
“Seeing the horror on a 10-year-old’s face was heartbreaking,” Daughtry said.
Brian Jones is the local government reporter for Columbus and Lowndes County.
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