Laurel, Miss. – The Laurel Police Department has apprehended a suspect following a tragic shooting incident at a local convenience store. Nicole Weems, 36, was taken into custody on Poplar Drive at King Street after authorities received a tip-off from a confidential informant.

The incident, which occurred outside the Scott and Pops Store on Ellisville Boulevard, claimed the life of 54-year-old Terry Merrill of Laurel. Merrill succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained during the altercation, despite efforts to save him at South Central Regional Medical Center.

Deputy Chief Earl Reed of the LPD revealed that the altercation is believed to have originated from a domestic violence situation within the store premises, escalating into violence outside. Witnesses reported hearing shots fired following a confrontation inside the store.

Weems has been booked into the Jones County Jail on a charge of murder, according to the online jail report on the Jones County Sheriff’s Department website. The investigation into the tragic event is ongoing, with authorities working to piece together the sequence of events leading to Merrill’s untimely death.

Jones County Coroner Burl Hall confirmed Merrill’s identity and disclosed that his body would be sent to the Mississippi State Crime Lab for further examination.

The community of Laurel mourns the loss of Terry Merrill and awaits further developments in this harrowing incident.