A Friday afternoon gathering at a crowded park in McComb, Mississippi, turned tragic on May 2, 2025, ending the life of Gary Wayne Thompson III. The 17-year-old Black male was a junior at McComb High School and was among many young people at Baertown Park for what was reportedly the school's "Senior Skip Day." The festive atmosphere, which included bounce houses, was shattered by violence.
At approximately 5:25 p.m., gunfire erupted in the park. Gary was struck in the head.
Emergency responders with the McComb Police Department drove him to Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center, and he was subsequently transferred to the University of Mississippi Medical Center for more advanced care. Despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries that Friday night. A second, unidentified teenager was also wounded in the shooting, sustaining a gunshot to the buttocks.
Law enforcement from the McComb Police Department and the Pike County Sheriff’s Department descended on the park, which was quickly transformed into a crime scene. While investigators collected evidence, sheriff's deputies located and arrested four people in connection with the incident: three juveniles and one adult. In the following days, the McComb School District and its superintendent issued statements expressing their condolences to Gary's family and everyone impacted by the violence.
Police soon announced the arrest of another McComb High School student, 17-year-old Kendric Cowart. He was charged as an adult with first-degree murder in Gary's death and held at the Pike County Detention Center.
In June 2025, Cowart appeared for a preliminary hearing. His attorney argued that his client had acted in self-defense during a shootout. After hearing the arguments, a judge ordered Cowart to be held without bail and bound the first-degree murder case over to a grand jury.
