18-year-old killed in shooting at gender reveal party; suspect charged

SCOTT COUNTY, Miss. (WLBT/Gray News) - A Mississippi man is charged with murder after an 18-year-old was fatally shot during a gender reveal party.

Anthony Boyd is accused of shooting and killing 18-year-old Jetavion Johnson during a gender reveal party at Roosevelt State Park in Scott County, WLBT reports.

Authorities say a 911 call was placed at 5:15 p.m. Sunday after Johnson was shot multiple times in the stomach. He was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Scott County Sheriff Mike Lee says Johnson and Boyd knew each other through the woman for whom the gender reveal was held. He says an argument between the two men started in the pool area.

Jacob Howell, who was at the park with his family, had just come down a water slide when gunfire broke out.

“Out of nowhere, just rapid fire, just shots fired - boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom,” Howell said. “Everybody started getting up. They started screaming, running.”

Howell says he helped others, including some children, leave the pool area.

Those who live in the Scott County community are shocked and heartbroken by the incident, knowing an event held for a soon-to-be new life ended in tragedy.

“Just terrible. Everyone trying to have a good event... and people just act up, start shooting. It’s ridiculous,” resident Trevor Blaylock said. “We need to stop this. Violence is not the answer.”

Despite the shooting, Lee is assuring all visitors that the state park is a safe place. He says this was an isolated incident.