‘Armed and dangerous’ 40-year-old suspect arrested in shooting of MS Coast juvenile

Authorities on Thursday arrested a suspect who police say shot and wounded a juvenile on Christmas Day in Gulfport.

Police responded at 4:51 p.m. Wednesday to the intersection of 44th Avenue and 13th Street and found a juvenile with a gunshot wound, Gulfport Police said in a news release.

The juvenile was brought to a local hospital and was listed in stable condition, the news release said.

Police were searching Thursday morning for Joshua Wells, 40, who authorities say arrived at a home Wednesday afternoon and turned an argument physical. Authorities allege Wells fired at the victim then left in a 2017 black Chevrolet Impala with the Mississippi license plate “BOSLDY5.”

Police said just before noon on Thursday that Wells had been arrested.

Wells is facing one count of aggravated assault. Police had warned that Wells was “armed and dangerous.”

Gulfport Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact the Gulfport Police Department at 228-868-5959 or Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers at 877-787-5898.

This story was originally published December 26, 2024 at 9:04 AM.