Teen charged as adult in fatal Easter shooting in Starkville
Apr. 7—STARKVILLE — A 15-year-old male was arrested Tuesday and charged with the Sunday evening shooting of a 17-year-old in central Starkville.
The Starkville Police Department arrested Tyrese Macon, 15, of Starkville, and charged him as an adult with murder. He was transported to the Oktibbeha County Jail where his is being held on a $750,000 bond.
"This violent act has impacted a number of lives and is not a reflection of Starkville's core values," said Starkville Police Chief Mark Ballard. "Senseless violence has left one teenager dead and another teenager has forever changed the course of his life."
Police responded to the intersection of Hilliard Street and Sherman Street around 5:15 p.m. April 4 to the report of a shooting with a possible victim. The responding officers found a deceased white male, later identified as Clifton Hester Files, 17, of Starkville.
The shooting occurred inside a vehicle at the end of Sherman Street. Neither the victim nor the suspect lived in the area.
Police initially said there was more than one suspect involved in the shooting and that the suspects were believed to have fled on foot into a wooded area after firing the shots. Police did not say if more arrests are expected but said the incident remains under active investigation.
If you have information related to this incident please contact the Starkville Police Department at 662-323-4131 or Golden Triangle Crime Stoppers at 800-530-7151.
