In a tragic turn of events stemming from a dispute between two women, 21-year-old Blake Anthony Carroll of Pass Christian, Mississippi, lost his life on Monday, June 12, 2017. The incident unfolded on Sap Root Road, where a physical altercation between Carroll's girlfriend and another woman escalated dramatically.
During the course of the fight, gunfire erupted. Carroll was discovered in the front yard of a residence with a gunshot wound to the head. A 12-gauge shotgun was found nearby.
He was initially transported to Garden Park Hospital before being airlifted to the University of South Alabama Medical Center, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
Following an investigation, authorities arrested 19-year-old David Nicholas Ryals of Long Beach in connection with the shooting. An initial charge of aggravated assault against Ryals was upgraded to murder after Carroll passed away. According to law enforcement statements, Ryals admitted to firing at Carroll but claimed he was unaware that he had struck him. Investigators found a 9mm handgun at the residence where Ryals was located.
Another man, 19-year-old Brandon Lee Dandrea, was also taken into custody and booked on a misdemeanor charge of domestic violence related to the altercation. Ryals was held in the Harrison County jail with a bond set at $1 million.
