Six Arrested In Deadly Veroche Concert Shooting

Six suspects in custody in gang-related incident


VENDIGO, VEROCHE--Police in Veroche have arrested six men who they say were involved in a deadly shooting at a concert last week in suburban Twin Lakes. The shooting left three people dead and 16 others injured.

Three of the suspects, Tyrell K. Jackson, 21;  Justin Lattonden, 22;  and Luis Opuir; 27, have been charged with 1st degree murder. Two other suspects, Jamahl B. Efferen, 24, and Michael Ellsworth, 20, were charged with 3rd degree assault and 2nd degree aiding a criminal activity. The sixth suspect, a 17-year-old who has not been identified because he is a minor, was charged with 1st degree aiding a criminal activity and felony obstruction of justice.

All suspects face additional assault, public intimidation, and property damage charges as well.

Police are now calling the shooting gang-related, and believe the shooting was an act of revenge against a rival gang member.

The shooting happened around 10:40 pm at the Roadway Rock Hall in the suburb of Vendigo, just west of Twin Lakes. According to police, five men, each armed with semi-automatic hand guns, went to the concert after discovering a rival gang member was in attendance.

Police say the five men went into the concert hall, got into a verbal altercation with the victim and his friends, which spilled into the parking lot outside, when the gunmen opened fire.

Tyrone Wells, 24, was killed immediately by the gunfire, as were two of his friends, 17-year-old Justina Kyree and 21-year-old Shanria Ames.

At least five other spectators, who were leaving the concert at the time of the shooting, were injured by straying gunfire. Three other victims suffered broken bones after being pushed out of the way by the fleeing suspects.

Police say another eight spectators were injured trying to flee the shooting scene.

"This shooting caused panic and chaos for hundreds of people," Lt. Craig Vitteran of the Goldocca County Sheriff's Department told local affiliate WTLK-TV. "A shooting outside a busy concert venue is going to cause panic and stampede-like conditions for spectators."

Mark Caal, owner of the Roadway Rock Hall, told WTLK a shooting has never occurred at his establishment before.

"This is the first time I've ever seen anything like this," Caal said. "And it's scary. Scary for us and for the customers and performers; scary for the community. We want this to stop. And we want these people to know they're not welcome here."

The suspects are expected to face a magistrate on Friday for initial court hearings.