3 face felony gun and drug charges related to Coast school shooting, authorities say
Pascagoula police have arrested three men on gun and drug-related charges in connection with a shooting at the Leap of Faith private school.
No injuries were reported in the shooting that occurred Monday afternoon at the building on Martin Street that also houses a church and apartments.
At the scene, authorities also recovered nine firearms.
Those arrested are Luis Javier Sanchez-Colon, 30, Jose Delgado, 27, and John Michael Villafana-Mendez, 23. All three have been in custody at the Jackson County jail for questioning since Monday.
Here’s a look at the charges:
- Sanchez-Colon was arrested on a felony charge of possession of a stolen firearm
- Delgago was arrested on a felony charge of possession of a controlled substance while in possession of a weapon after police seized a large amount of cocaine and other drugs, including suspected Ecstasy, from his vehicle.
- Villafana-Mendez is facing a federal drug charge. He had been previously convicted of a state charge of felony possession of marijuana, court records show, along with other federal charges.
The men are accused of wrongdoing related to the shooting early Monday afternoon in the building on Martin Street that houses the school, some apartments and El Taller del Maestro Church.
The building has been shot up twice in the last week, the building’s owner, Gustavo Santos Sr., told the Sun Herald after the shooting Monday.
Pascagoula police had taken the men into custody Monday afternoon after responding to a report of a man with a gun outside the school shortly before 1 p.m.
No one was shot and injured, but bullet holes marred the private school building in the wake of the shooting.
Pascagoula Police Chief Matt Chapman said the investigation continues, and other arrests could follow.
Santos told the Sun Herald he and his family had been the victim of other recent crimes.
The building on Martin Street that stretches half a block, he said, was first struck by gunfire last week. In addition, he said, his son’s BMW had been set on fire on Sunday.
Santos, a native of Puerto Rico, owns several buildings in Pascagoula near the Martin Street businesses. Santos suspects someone has been following him since as early as last week.
Chapman confirmed the Police Department is investigating the report of a previous shooting at the school along with the vehicle arson.
Pascagoula police are working with the FBI and agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration on the investigation.
Anyone with information should call the Pascagoula Police Department at 228-762-2211, or Mississippi Coast Crimestoppers at 877-787-5898 or log on to mscoastcrimestoppers.com
This story was originally published March 22, 2022 at 3:40 PM.
