Humboldt Mayor speaks out on weekend shooting, gun incident
PRESS RELEASE FROM CITY OF HUMBOLDT MAYOR MARVIN SIKES:
Multiple videos are circulating on social media about a shooting incident that took place this past weekend in Humboldt. As Mayor, I want to clarify the circumstances surrounding two separate incidents that occurred in a span of five hours.
On 5/10/2025, around 8:49 pm, there was an incident that took place at the carnival located on Central Ave. Humboldt Police Department had six officers working the carnival and multiple Jackson PD Investigators. The Humboldt Police Department also had a mobile camera system that recorded an incident in which A female displayed a handgun following a verbal altercation and the crowd began running. I want to clarify that no shots were fired during this incident. The female, identified as Zocora Austin, 20, of Humboldt was arrested on a weapons charge and the firearm seized.
Five hours later, on 5/11/2025 at approximately 2:00 am, a unrelated incident occurred on Front Street, known as “the crossing“. Humboldt P.D. investigators determined that during a gathering that was not part of the planned Strawberry Festival, there were multiple shots fired from several different weapons. Officers with the Humboldt Police Department and the West Tennessee Drug Task Force were in the immediate area and responded quickly to the scene where they took one 16 year old juvenile into custody armed with an AK–47 style pistol that fired 7.62 MM rifle rounds. The juvenile is not being identified at this time due to his age. Two people were injured during the shooting with one being transported by ambulance and one being flown by helicopter to area hospitals. The videos circulating on social media are from this incident and not from the carnival incident earlier.
On the night of 5/10/2025 and during the early morning hours of 5/11/2025, Humboldt Police Department and the West TN Drug Task Force confiscated fifteen illegal firearms from multiple traffic stops and from persons on Front Street in the span of just five hours.
The incident on Front Street remains an active investigation, and anyone with information is encouraged to call the Humboldt Police Department at 731-784-1322 or Crime Stoppers at 731-424-8477.
Stay with WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News on-air and online as more on this situation is expected to follow.
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