In the early evening of January 5, 2022, in Starkville, Mississippi, 9-year-old LaSang Kemp Jr. was sitting inside a minivan on Santa Anita Drive. His life was abruptly cut short when the vehicle was targeted in a drive-by shooting. The young boy was struck by gunfire and rushed to the OCH Regional Medical Center, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. The shooting left the community in shock and spurred an extensive investigation by local law enforcement.
The investigation revealed that the tragic shooting was the culmination of a violent dispute that had occurred earlier in the day. The victim's father, Lasang Kemp Sr., and another son had been involved in an exchange of gunfire with three individuals: Barron Hubbard, Tabyron Fisher, and Dellveon Lindsey. Following this initial altercation, Hubbard, Fisher, and Lindsey sought out Christopher Perkins. The group then located the Kemp family's minivan and, as they drove by, Perkins is said to have opened fire into the vehicle, hitting LaSang Kemp Jr. twice. At the time of the shooting, three of the boy's relatives and another passenger were in the minivan, though his father was not present.
The subsequent police investigation led to numerous arrests. In total, Starkville police served over 60 warrants in connection with the case. Christopher Perkins was identified as a primary suspect and was arrested on February 25, 2022, facing charges of murder and multiple counts of aggravated assault. Hubbard, Fisher, and Lindsey were also charged with murder and aggravated assault. Several other individuals were arrested and charged as accessories after the fact for their roles in assisting the primary suspects following the shooting.
In November 2024, Christopher Perkins, then 33, stood trial for the murder of LaSang Kemp Jr. His case was separated from the other three men charged in the shooting. During the trial, his alleged accomplices—Hubbard, Fisher, and Lindsey—testified against him. After several hours of deliberation, the Oktibbeha County jury found Perkins guilty of first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated assault. He received a mandatory life sentence in prison for the murder conviction, with an additional 20 years for each assault charge to be served concurrently. For their cooperation, it is anticipated that the other three suspects will face prosecution and likely receive lighter sentences.
