Deputies in Bolivar County responded to a deadly shooting on the night of April 4, 2026, after receiving a 9:21 p.m. call about a gunshot victim near Old Highway 61 and Luke Road, a rural stretch between Merigold and Mound Bayou, Mississippi. When deputies arrived, they found a black Honda Accord stopped in the southbound lane with its doors open, indicating the occupants had either fled or been attacked while inside the vehicle.
Inside and around the vehicle, deputies discovered 15‑year‑old Alexis Walker, who had been fatally wounded. A second juvenile, also 15 years old, was found critically injured and in need of immediate medical attention.
Emergency responders transported the surviving teen to a nearby hospital, where they remained in life‑threatening condition. The scene showed no signs of a crash, confirming the vehicle had been intentionally stopped before the shooting occurred.
As investigators processed the area, they determined that the shooting did not actually occur on Old Highway 61. Instead, evidence and witness accounts led deputies to a residence at 202 Green Avenue in Mound Bayou, located only a short distance from the Mound Bayou Police Department. The shooting reportedly took place in front of that home, after which the victims attempted to flee in the Honda before stopping near Luke Road.
Detectives secured the Green Avenue residence as a secondary crime scene, collecting shell casings and interviewing individuals who were present or nearby at the time of the shooting. The proximity to the police department raised questions about how quickly the gunfire was reported and whether any surveillance cameras in the area captured the incident or the suspects’ movements.
Within hours, authorities identified two teenage suspects. Joei Taylor, 16, of Mound Bayou, was arrested and charged with murder and three counts of aggravated assault, reflecting both the fatal shooting and the injuries to the surviving victim. A second teen, 17‑year‑old Travis Scott Jr., also of Mound Bayou, was charged with accessory after the fact, indicating he allegedly assisted Taylor after the shooting occurred. Both suspects were taken into custody as the investigation continued.
The Bolivar County Sheriff’s Office has not released a motive, but investigators believe the shooting stemmed from a dispute involving the teens. Community members in Mound Bayou expressed shock at the violence, especially given the ages of both the victims and suspects. Deputies have urged anyone with additional information to come forward as they work to reconstruct the events leading up to the killing of Alexis Walker and the critical injury of the second juvenile.