By John Howell
Authorities are asking people who witnessed a Sunday night shooting near the intersection of Cotton Plant and Woodruff Roads to come forward and provide information that will help in the investigation.

The shooting about 11:44 p.m. left one man with multiple gunshot wounds from a 9 mm handgun, Panola County Sheriff’s Department Investigator Bryan Arnold said.

The victim was transported by private vehicle to Tri-Lakes Medical Center, then transported by Air Evac helicopter to Region I Medical Center in Memphis.

Before the victim was transported from Tri-Lakes, Arnold spoke with him. “He was able to give me the name of his shooter,” the investigator said.

“I have not been able to speak with the person named as the shooter,” Arnold said. “I have spoken with the family; his family has been very cooperative with us,” the deputy said, in trying to convince the shooting suspect to give his side of the story to investigators.

Arnold said the shooting occurred on the roadside. “It was seen by a lot of people.”

Although accounts from witnesses who have spoken with investigators have varied, Arnold believes that more witnesses will help officers, “make the right decision” about charges in the investigation.

The investigator said he did not believe the shooting to have been directly related to gang violence, “just an altercation that turned bloody.”

“The last time I spoke with Region One this (Monday) morning, he was in surgery and at that time expected to pull through,” Arnold said.