Mobile Police: New Year’s Eve mass shooting related to gang activity

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) -It was supposed to be a night of celebration for over 12,000 people in downtown Mobile on New Year’s Eve. Things changed around 11:15 when several shots were fired a couple of blocks away from the moon pie drop.

“This is affiliated with what we call gang activity,” said Chief Paul Prine.

“They’re not organized as gangs such as some you know on the east coast as MS-13 or the west coast bloods and crips but nonetheless they can be very violent.”

Chief Prine says an altercation between two people led to several rounds being fired in the middle of a crowded Dauphin Street.

“The danger of this is when we start indiscriminately start firing into a crowd obviously this is what happens and we have innocent bystanders who are affected by it,” said Prine.

Mobile Police say 24-year-old Jatarious Reives was killed during the gunfire. Nine other people were also injured. Chief Prine says they recovered several weapons on scene one of which included a Glock chip which can turn a semi-automatic weapon into an automatic weapon.

“You could have a 15-round magazine with 15 bullets in it and less than a second and you can empty the magazine. In essence that’s what happened New Year’s Eve,” said Prine.

Of the nine who were injured. Three of them are still recovering at a local hospital including the suspected shooter who will be charged with murder once he’s booked into metro jail. Chief Prine says it’s possible that more charges could be coming.

“Such as assaults or even attempted murder we’ve been in close contact with the district attorney’s office and there’s still some things we need to overcome but there very well could be,” added Prine.

As for the two victims who are still in the hospital, Chief Prine says one of them is still in critical condition.

---

Download the FOX10 Weather App. Get life-saving severe weather warnings and alerts for your location no matter where you are. Available free in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.

Copyright 2023 WALA. All rights reserved.