Gulfport Police Search for Alleged Shooter, Considered 'Armed and Dangerous'

An altercation over money ended in a car chase and shots fired in a Gulfport neighborhood around 5:15 p.m. Monday, Oct. 3, 2011.

Now, officials are searching for the alleged shooter in the incident. Officials say the man is "armed and dangerous."

According to Detective Hanh Pham, 21-year-old Jonell Devon Wilson approached a young man on foot, saying he (the victim) owed "a friend" money.

According to the police report, Wilson pulled a gun on the person and pulled the trigger, but the gun didn't fire. That's when the victim and two other men got in a car and left the area.

"It escalated, and the victims got in the car — heading west on Ninth Ave South between the 6100 block and 6300 block," Pham said.

The car chase included three men in the first car and three in the second, with the alleged gunman in the second vehicle.

Officials say Wilson was in the front passenger seat with "what is believed to be a handgun." Victims said he shot between five and seven times, but no one was hurt.

Shortly after the incident, a Gulfport Police Officer was flagged down, and several 9-1-1 calls came in about gunshots in the area.

Investigators recovered shell casings but did not recover a weapon.

Through the investigation, 19-year-old John D. Haskins was arrested after victims said he was the driver during the car chase. Haskins is charged with aggrevated assault deadly weapon/principle first degree, a felony. Bail is set at $5,000 for that charge. Hastins is also charged with violation of parole on drug charges.

Investigators are actively searching for Wilson and a third "person of interest" who was in the second vehicle during the chase. Officials believe all persons involved are men in their late teens to early 20s.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Gulfport Police Department's Non-Emergency Line at (727) 893-1030.