Coroner identifies victim of fatal shooting at South MS homecoming party

A shooting Friday night during a Gautier High School homecoming event injured two people and killed a 22-year-old, Police Chief David Bever said.

Police responded to Dolphin Drive, which is off-campus but near the high school, at about 10 p.m. Friday and found a chaotic scene. The event was hosted by the Gautier High School Alumni Association and drew several hundred people, Bever said.

The shooting in the middle of the crowd killed Zavionne Payne, Jackson County Coroner Bruce Lynd Jr. said. The 22-year-old from Gautier died at Singing River Hospital.

The shooting also hospitalized two other people, police said. Their conditions were not immediately clear.

Police are searching for suspects and had made no arrests by Saturday morning. Bever said police were still determining if there was more than one shooter.

Police are asking anyone with information about the case to call the Gautier Police Department at 228-497-2486 or Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-877-787-5898.

This is a developing story and may be updated.

This story was originally published September 20, 2025 at 12:24 PM.