In the early morning hours of July 16, 2022, a dispute that began at a Mississippi nightclub tragically escalated, culminating in the death of 29-year-old Shamarkese Smith of McComb. Known to her friends and family as 'Dansha' or 'Kese,' Smith was driving her white BMW on Delaware Avenue in McComb at approximately 4:30 a.m. when another vehicle pulled alongside.
An individual in that vehicle opened fire, striking Smith and two of her passengers.
The gunfire proved fatal for Shamarkese Smith, who was pronounced dead at the scene from gunshot injuries before she could be transported to a hospital. A 28-year-old male passenger and a 13-year-old female passenger were also critically injured in the drive-by shooting. The male victim was airlifted to a hospital in Jackson for treatment, while the teenage girl was hospitalized in McComb.
In the wake of the deadly shooting, law enforcement identified a suspect in the case. The McComb Police Department named Darnell Jacques Bright as the individual wanted in connection with the incident. Authorities announced that Bright was being sought on three counts of aggravated assault with extreme indifference to life, as well as for discharging a weapon within the city limits.
Investigators believe the shooting stemmed from an earlier altercation at the Ice House Club in McComb. Police officials considered Bright to be armed and dangerous and sought public assistance in locating him. Despite the public identification of a suspect and the charges against him, there have been no subsequent public reports detailing his arrest. The case remains a painful memory for the community, a stark reminder of how quickly a night out can turn into a tragedy, leaving a family to mourn a life cut short by violence.
