Oxford police received reports of shots fired near an apartment complex around 3 p.m. Sunday.
Officers declined to comment on the situation until an official release could be written by the department.
Sameer Chawla, a junior general studies major who lives in the Gather Oxford apartment complex, was in the shower when he heard shots ringing out in the parking lot in front of his house. Chawla said he heard nine shots in total. He said he got out of the shower and ran to his window.
“I saw the guy carrying the gun,” Chawla said. ” I watched him walk across the parking lot carrying his shotgun.”
Chawla said a man in a red sweater walked into an apartment complex near his. He immediately called the police, who were already on their way, he said.
Chawla said he watched as a girl wearing a brightly colored shirt walked out of the apartment with the gun and place it in the trunk of her car. He said the girl drove away – right as police officers entered the scene.
A police car is parked outside of Gather Oxford apartment complex after shots were reported from the area. Witness Sameer Chawla said he heard nine shots in total. (Photo: Clara Turnage)
Sarah Ozzell, who works at the desk at Gather Oxford, said she heard the shots and looked out of the window to see a man shooting at a Trailblazer that was driving away. She, too, called the police and hid in the back of the building until they came.
Tyesha Jones, also a resident of Gather Oxford and a psychology major, heard the shots and called the police. She said she was frightened and first checked to see if her roommate and her roommate’s child were OK. She said she didn’t exit her apartment until police were on the scene.
Less than a mile away, more than 75 people attended a home Ole Miss softball game. Several residents standing outside of their apartments declined to comment.
The Oxford Police Department said it did not expect to release a statement before Monday.
