BROWNSVILLE, Tenn.—A teenager, likely the victim of random gunfire, has died; two other people are recovering from gunshot wounds and another from a “severe beating.” Haywood County Sheriff’s deputies will spend days trying to determine why fights and the shootings occurred during a Rice Road party early Sunday morning.
Sheriff Melvin Bond identified the fatally wounded victim as Elia Hernandez of Bells. The 17 year-old was struck once in the abdomen. She was taken to Jackson Madison County General Hospital where she died shortly after arrival. Bullets hit Jonathan Davis, 22, and Carlos Sadage, 19. Neither suffer from life-threatening injuries. A third victim, Juan Navarett, 19, was flown to a Memphis hospital with severe injures resulting from a beating.
By mid-day Sunday deputies had charged Quintaris Jamal Love, 18, according to the sheriff. Love lives in Brentwood Estates in Brownsville.
Investigators are uncertain about exactly what happened but they’ve gathered lots of information thanks to helpful partygoers. “We’ve interviewed several witnesses and they’ve provided good information,” Bond said.
Deputies answered the call to the home of Taylor Booth who lives at 3649 Rice Road. A party at the home turned violent about 2am Sunday — fights broke out and the shots were fired, according to information gathered so far. Deputies believe Davis was shot while trying to break up one of the scuffles. Evidence suggests Hernandez was “hiding” from the violence when one of three shots were fired as “the shooter was leaving.” She was hit once on the abdomen. So far investigators have indicated there was only one person firing the shots but Sheriff Bond said others will likely face charges in connection with the melee.
Eleven .40 caliber bullet casings were collected from the scene.
The sheriff’s department says two other people were injured as a result of a related car wreck. Party attendees were driving Davis to the hospital when their car crashed on Highway 70 East.
