Sheriff: Apparent road rage victim shot in mouth; suspect sought

HARRISON COUNTY -- A man shot in the face during an apparent incident of road rage was in critical but stable condition Monday while investigators tried to identify the suspect vehicle and shooter.

The 56-year-old man was shot about 11 p.m. Saturday at the intersection of Menge Avenue and Bells Ferry Road.

"From what we understand, a bullet went up in his mouth and lodged in his head," Sheriff Troy Peterson said.

The wounded man has said he was traveling on McDonald Road when a vehicle side-swiped his vehicle and he turned around to follow it, Peterson said.

The man said both vehicles stopped at an intersection and said the other driver, a man he didn't know, got out of his vehicle and shot him.

The wounded man was taken to Memorial Hospital at Gulfport and was transferred to Tulane Hospital in New Orleans.

Investigators want to hear from anyone who has information about the shooting.

To give a tip, call sheriff's office dispatchers at 865-7060 or call Mississippi Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-877-787-5898.

This story was originally published February 29, 2016 at 4:48 PM with the headline "Sheriff: Apparent road rage victim shot in mouth; suspect sought ."