Update: Investigation continues on gun store shoot out over $25 repair charge
Published 11:26 am Tuesday, January 26, 2016
investigation: Pearl River County Chief Investigator Marc Ogden fields phone calls while waiting on crime scene investigators.
Investigation into a shootout that occurred at a Henleyfield gun store on Saturday is still underway, with no charges pressed at this time.
Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Shane Tucker said the case began when the department responded to a call of a shoot out at a gun store in Henleyfield Saturday evening.
When investigators arrived they were told that earlier in the afternoon 29-year-old Michael McCool and his father, 52-year-old Audy McCool, both of Carriere, came to the store to collect a gun dropped off to be repaired. Tucker said an argument
between the McCools and the female owner of the store began over a $25 charge for a portion of the work.
The owner called her husband, 44-year-old Jason McClemore, to come and deal with the disgruntled customers, who arrived a short time later with his son, 17-year-old Jacob McClemore, Tucker said.
While the senior McClemore and his son attempted to speak with the customers, the dispute escalated to the point of gun shots being exchanged, Tucker said. Both McClemores died from wounds sustained in the altercation, while the other father and son were transported to a hospital by helicopter for treatment of their own wounds, Tucker said.
Tucker said that as of Monday morning both McCools were reported to be in stable condition, but were still in the hospital.
Continued investigation into the incident shows that one knife and two guns were used in the altercation. While no charges have been pressed at this time, Tucker said investigators are working to gather more information.
“We have to examine the evidence and statements through this investigation and confer with the District Attorney’s office before a determination on charges is made,” Tucker said.
Tucker said the aim is to review the entire investigation to determine what the next move will be.
“It’ll be done right,” Tucker said.
Tucker said the department is also waiting on autopsy results. Pearl River County Deputy Coroner Albert Lee, said one autopsy was completed Monday; the second will be conducted this week.
