Four men were shot and killed in Yazoo City early Monday morning, and the suspect was already facing a murder charge from less than a year ago.
Briddell Barber, 27, is now the sole suspect in a total of five homicides. He was arrested by U.S. Marshals in Jackson around 9:30 a.m. Monday after law enforcement officers searched for him through the night.
The four victims were killed around 1:30 a.m. Monday outside of Club 66 on Eleventh Street.
The victims were Edward Johnson, 36; Kevin Johnson, 30; Jerrandan Allen, 32; and Gabriel Townsend, 35, all of Yazoo City.
Edward Johnson and Kevin Johnson were both pronounced dead at the scene. Allen and Townsend died after being airlifted to University Medical Center in Jackson.
Yazoo City Police Chief Andre Lloyd said that investigators believe Barber became enraged when his girlfriend was catching a ride home from the club with one of the victims.
“That seems to be how this started,” Lloyd said. “He was apparently waiting outside the club for her to come out. It appears that three of the victims were killed just because they were witnesses to the crime.”
Lloyd said investigators are still questioning Barber about the murder.
“He has been cooperative so far,” Lloyd said. “We expect to have a better understanding of everything soon.”
Barber was previously charged with murder in the March 2016 shooting of Justin “Butch” Porter outside of the Club Teflon event center. He was out on bond while awaiting trial for the 2016 murder.
He was released from jail after his bond was reduced to $100,000 in Yazoo County Circuit Court.
Lloyd said he was unaware that Barber had been released.
“I didn’t know he was out of jail,” Lloyd said. “You can’t deny a person bond, but sometimes it seems like you need to consider what they did.”
Barber is scheduled to make his initial appearance in Yazoo County Justice Court Wednesday for a charge of capital murder. He remains in the Yazoo County Correctional Facility.
Lloyd said he is unaware of any incident in the city’s history where so many people were killed.
“I’ve been with the department for 26 years, and this is the worst case I have worked,” Lloyd said.
A group of local ministers are planning a prayer vigil for Friday at 7 p.m. across from Lindsey Lawn Apartments on Eleventh Street where the crime took place.
