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19-year-old Mark Smith shot and killed on New Years Day in downtown Mobile
Chief Prine mentioned that there is a person of interest, but as of now, no one is in custody.
A fatal shooting in downtown Mobile has claimed the life of a 19-year-old man, marking the first homicide of 2024.
Mobile Police Chief Paul Prine reported that around 12:15 a.m., an MPD officer heard a gunshot at the intersection of Dauphin and S Jackson Street.
The victim sustained at least one gunshot wound and was subsequently transported to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries, as per police statements.
Chief Prine stated that a substantial number of officers were present in the vicinity at the time of the shooting, but the motive or factors leading to the incident remain unknown.
He mentioned, “We had a large contingency of officers down here, and by all accounts, the Moon Pie Drop went very well.
But unfortunately, as people were still hanging out in the entertainment district, apparently something happened, and we believe there was an altercation of some sort. And we’ll just have to get to the bottom of it.”
Investigators assert that this incident was isolated, and they do not suspect any additional injuries. Chief Prine mentions the presence of a person of interest, but as of now, no one has been taken into custody.
He points out that despite the heightened law enforcement presence on Sunday night, some individuals appeared to have come downtown with the intention of causing harm, recalling the unfortunate mass shooting on the previous New Year’s Eve that resulted in nine injuries and one fatality.
