A verbal argument in the front yard of a home on the 200 block of Jesse Brown Street in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, on the night of August 6, 2026, turned deadly. During that dispute 28-year-old Dangealo Applewhite of Bassfield was shot in the abdomen. Emergency responders arrived about 11 p.m.; Applewhite was taken to a local hospital but died of his injuries.

Investigators concluded the shooting grew out of the argument and was not random. The suspected shooter fled before officers arrived. Within a day police identified and arrested 21-year-old Jalen Detwan Peterson of Hattiesburg; he was charged with murder and tampering with physical evidence and booked into the Forrest County Jail. Officials described the incident as isolated and said there was no ongoing threat to the public. The case was pending and had not proceeded to trial as of these reports.

If anyone witnessed the argument or saw activity near Jesse Brown Street that night, can you provide information to investigators?