Authorities in Tupelo have arrested a man accused of fatally shooting a victim at a local convenience store. Chad D. Burleson, 30, of Guntown, was taken into custody after the victim died from his wounds, according to police.
The incident occurred on July 17 at the Sprint Mart located at 1930 Briar Ridge Road. Officers responded to the scene after reports of a shooting and found the victim with a gunshot wound. The Tupelo Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division responded to both the scene and the emergency room at North Mississippi Medical Center, where the victim was transported.
Detectives gathered evidence and information during their investigation. On July 18, Burleson was arrested in a neighboring jurisdiction and initially charged with aggravated assault. Following the victim’s death on July 19, authorities upgraded the charge to first-degree murder. Tupelo Municipal Court Judge Weir ordered Burleson held without bond. The case will be presented to the Lee County grand jury.
The Tupelo Police Department credited assistance from the Lee County Sheriff’s Department, Mississippi Department of Public Safety, and Guntown Police Department in their investigation.
