What did Cameron Brand do? Charges explored as teen arrested over Mississippi house party shooting

In the early hours of Sunday, April 30, 2023, 19-year-old Cameron Brand allegedly shot six teenagers at a Mississippi house party, killing two of them. Brand was arrested at his Pass Christian, Mississippi home, shortly after the shooting. He has been charged with two counts of homicide and four counts of aggravated assault. The motive behind the shooting remains unconfirmed.

Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of gun violence and shooting. Discretion is advised.

The deceased victims have been identified as 18-year-old De'Arreis Smith and 16-year-old Haleigh Stamper. It is unknown whether or not the slain teens were known to the suspect prior to the shooting. Cameron Brand is believed to have acted alone in the incident.

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Cameron Brand was previously arrested for illegally carrying a concealed weapon

The New York Post reported that the house party was believed to be a prom after-party for the Bay High School. Investigations revealed that none of the students at the party had attended prom. The party was being held at a teenager named Leslie Rojas' house, and her mother was present at the party as well.

The party, which was described as raucous, was interrupted by the shooter, Cameron Brand, who entered the home and fired into the crowd.

People called police as soon as the shooting began and officers found six victims with gunshot wounds. They also saw trails of blood on the pavement outside the house but there was no sign of the shooting. By the time the police surrounded and checked the neighborhood, the shooter had left the scene.

Meanwhile, the injured teens were transported to hospitals via ambulance and even helicopters. Both De'Arreis Smith and Haleigh Stamper were pronounced dead by the Hancock County Coroner's Office on the night of the shooting.

The Sunherald reported that several videos of the shooting are being circulated on social media sites like TikTok. Due to their graphic nature, the videos may be taken down, before being used as evidence by police. While authorities have not revealed how many shots were fired, the footage reportedly reveals that the shooter fired several shots brazenly into the crowd.

On Sunday, a memorial was held for the two teens who died in the attack. The families of De'Arreis and Haleigh publicly identified the victims and demanded justice for their deaths.

Several reports mentioned that the police knew Cameron Brand prior to the shooting as he had been arrested in 2022. The 19-year-old was arrested multiple times on charges including domestic violence and illegally carrying a concealed weapon.

Brand was initially arrested on six charges of aggravated assault, which were later upgraded to homicide charges. CNN reported that Brand is currently being held by local authorities without bond.

The motive behind the shooting remains unknown. As of May 1, his legal representation has not been disclosed.