On Saturday, an officer with the Columbus Police Department was involved in a shooting that left a man dead.
Around 1:00 a.m., officers responded to a “disturbance” call at the Premiere Lounge, a bar on 22nd street, after a report saying that the man had a baseball bat. The altercation ended with 24-year-old Raymond Cortez Davis being shot by the officer. Davis was transported to the hospital where he would die as a result of his injuries later that night. The officer’s name has not been released, and he has been placed on leave pending an investigation.
Spokesman for the Columbus PD, Joe Dillon, said that is currently unclear how the situation escalated into a shooting, partially because of the large crowd gathered outside the bar.
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation arrived on the scene immediately after the shooting to file a preliminary report. The Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office arrived as well to help secure the scene and began processing evidence. The MBI will assist the Columbus PD moving forward.
The officer was not injured. Another woman drove herself to the hospital and was treated and released for a bullet wound. Dillon said they are still unsure if the woman suffered the injury from a stray bullet or a separate incident.
The Columbus PD, the mayor, the police chief, and the city attorney have met with the owners of the Lounge to work on a more detailed security plan for the future.
