Reginald Butler, top right, and Cameron Taunton, bottom right.

A chaotic series of events on Friday culminated in a Mississippi man being airlifted for a gunshot wound following multiple altercations on a rural Adams County road. One individual has been charged, and another is being held on aggravated assault charges as authorities continue to sift through evidence to determine what happened.

Adams County Sheriff’s Office deputies were initially dispatched to Deerfield Road after receiving reports of a disturbance near a party. En route, they learned that a shooting had occurred. Upon arrival, deputies were directed to the suspected location of the shooting, where they found a male suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to the chest.

A preliminary investigation revealed a complex sequence of events. Officials say two separate altercations transpired near a bridge on Deerfield Road, where multiple individuals allegedly assaulted Reginald Butler. After this initial assault, Butler reportedly left the area on a bicycle but later returned.

Approximately one mile away, on another bridge, Butler encountered an individual believed to be a partygoer. According to witness statements, this individual exited a vehicle and confronted Butler, leading to a physical altercation. During the struggle, Butler reportedly fired several shots, striking the individual in the chest and also hitting the vehicle. Both Butler and the gunshot victim fled the scene.

Deputies later located Butler at his home and took him into custody, recovering the suspected firearm. Emergency medical services transported the gunshot victim to the Kingston Ball Field, from where he was airlifted to a medical facility for treatment. Butler was also taken to the hospital by deputies to receive treatment for injuries sustained in the earlier assault.

Authorities have identified Cameron Taunton as one of the individuals involved in the initial assault on Butler, charging him with simple assault causing bodily injury.

Reginald Butler is currently being held at the Adams County Jail on aggravated assault charges. Adams County Sheriff Travis Patton stated that while the investigation is ongoing, initial evidence and witness statements indicate the shooting followed “a series of altercations,” including Butler attempting to return to the scene after the initial assault.

“The decision to charge Butler with aggravated assault reflects the totality of circumstances at this stage,” Sheriff Patton said. He added that authorities are reviewing whether the use of force met legal standards for self-defense under Mississippi law, especially now that “video evidence has emerged and statements have changed.”