At least five people were shot and one is dead after after gunfire rang out late Friday night during a Cinco de Mayo party at an Ocean Springs restaurant, Police Chief Mark Dunston confirmed to the Sun Herald.

Jackson County Deputy Coroner James Prisock confirmed the fatality at 12:15 a.m. Saturday at The Scratch Kitchen on Government Street.

Prisock identified the deceased as 19-year-old Chase Harmon of Moss Point.

Crime scene tape surrounded the restaurant Saturday as a crowd of about 20 people watched police survey the scene and collect evidence. Ocean Springs Mayor Kenny Holloway was also at the scene. Police could be seen examining the patio area of the restaurant.

It’s not clear if any arrests had been made related to the mass shooting by 12:30 a.m. Saturday.

Dunston said police are gathering information and will release more information about the injured victims.

Scratch Kitchen patron tries to save shooting victim

An Ocean Springs woman out celebrating Cinco de Mayo at The Scratch Kitchen told the Sun Herald she tried to give the victim CPR after he fell to the ground.

Abranee Goldsmith said she was enjoying the party before shots were fired.

“I heard gunshots, so I got underneath the table and I looked to the right and saw the (victim) gasping for air, Goldsmith told the Sun Herald.

She found a T-shirt and and tied it around the victim’s stomach and started performing CPR before running outside to get help from police.

Goldsmith hung around the Scratch Kitchen long after the victim stopped breathing.

“I just couldn’t leave here knowing I tried everything I could to try and help him,” she said. “This type of thing does not happen in Ocean Springs. You get drunk mishaps, but not a death.”

Ocean Springs restaurant owner speaks out

Brittany Alexander, owner of the Scratch Kitchen, was helping work the door of the Cinco de Mayo party when chaos ensued.

Alexander said staff alerted her that the shooter had run past security without getting patted down or his driver’s license checked.

“Literally when I turned around to try to grab him, the shots had already rung off and then everybody rushed out,” she told the Sun Herald.

Alexander confirmed the victim who died was a patron of the bar.

“The person who did the shooting wasn’t a customer,” she said. “He didn’t get an arm band or anything to be out here.”

Alexander said the patio area where the DJ plays is 21 and over. Security frisks every person who enters and patrons are given an arm band after paying the cover that signals to the bartenders that they are of legal drinking age.

About 200 people were at the Scratch Kitchen Cinco de Mayo party at the time of the shooting, Alexander said.

Other shootings in Ocean Springs

The shooting was widely circulated on the Ocean Springs Talk of the Town Facebook group.

The Scratch Kitchen is located on Government Street and, like many other restaurants in downtown, opens their outdoor area for nightlife on the weekends.

A 22-year-old man was shot in the leg in the parking lot of the restaurant last month. Police have previously said that shooting may have been accidental.

There have also been shootings recently at other nightlife spots in Ocean Springs.

One was arrested in a deadly shooting outside of Kahuna-OS bar in November. Earlier that month, two people were shot outside of Ocean Springs Daiquiri Company on Washington Avenue.

The Sun Herald will update this story when more information is available.