By Rupert Howell

One was killed and another was seriously injured in the wee hours of Saturday  morning in the parking lot of the Crash Landing building on Highway 315 west of Sardis according to Panola County Sheriff Otis Griffin.

Griffin confirmed that six men from Clarksdale were arrested later that day and are being held pending further investigation. Griffin said that interviews with two local witnesses and a report from the crime lab on evidence will determine formal charges.

Griffin said Arcenio Johnson, 22, was shot and killed and another man, also from Clarksdale, was wounded in the shoulder and flown to the Med in Memphis for treatment.

Griffin said he thought the incident was gang related and explained that an altercation that was more verbal than physical began in the building that is rented for parties. The argument and pushing match was quelled when private security guards on duty for the event addressed the situation, but after closing, violence erupted outside the building according to Griffin.

“After it was over, when people were coming out, shots were heard allegedly causing the fatality and one to get shot in the shoulder,” Griffin stated.

Griffin said deputies arrived at the scene shortly after the incident that occurred at approximately 1:35 a.m. and remained until 9 a.m. while noting that state crime scene investigators were involved with the crime site where cartridge casing were recovered.

The Panola County Sheriff said guns were recovered but did not specify from whom. Arrested  and currently under investigation are: Kenon Shontice Sykes of Memphis, Timothy Jeniel Jackson, Fredric Monroe Howard, Jasper Terrell McCray, Jeremy Maurice Moton, and Terrance LaMarcus Phillips, all of Clarksdale.