By John Howell
Batesville police on Monday continued their investigation into a Friday night shooting that left a man charged with his brother’s murder and two other people injured.
BPD Assistant Chief Jimmy McCloud said that Eric Love, 40, of Memphis is jailed on a murder charge and held under a $2 million bond. Ladarius Ford, 22, Lawrence Brothers Road, Batesville, was transported to the Med in Memphis for a gunshot wound. A third victim, Christopher Blake Simmons, 33, of Water Valley received minor injuries to his right hand and declined treatment, McCloud said.
“He was (allegedly) shooting into Blake’s vehicle; it could have been glass or bullet shrapnel,” he said.
Panola County Coroner Gracie Gulledge said that Archie Marquis Love, 44, was pronounced dead at the Merit Health Batesville emergency room early Saturday morning.
Police received a call about the shooting at Buddy’s Truck Salvage at 10:51 p.m. Friday night. BPD Detective Captain George Williford said that a group of people were having “a cooking” at the time the shots were fired. McCloud said that six or eight people were at the scene when shots were fired.
“It was a bunch (of gunshots); they’re still working on that,” the assistant chief said.
Investigators believe that the suspect fired from two weapons.
Williford said that groups of people were coming and going from a cooking at Buddy’s Truck Salvage when the shooting occurred. The detective said that alcohol was involved. It is the first homicide in Batesville city limits during 2015.
“We almost made it,” he said.
Williford was scheduled to interview Ford for the first time on Monday, McCloud said.