Four others were wounded in the Brownsville park shooting before Haywood High School’s prom.
BROWNSVILLE, Tenn. — A 17-year-old Haywood High School student was killed and four others were wounded Friday evening when gunfire broke out at a park where students had gathered for prom photos, authorities said.
The shooting turned a school celebration into a homicide investigation and left a West Tennessee community grieving. Haywood County Schools identified the student who died as Saturah Hayes. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation joined Brownsville police in the case, and officials had not announced a suspect or motive by Sunday.
Brownsville officers responded May 8 to Webb Banks Passive Park in the 900 block of Key Corner Street after reports of a disturbance and gunfire. Students and families had gathered at the park before Haywood High School’s senior prom, which was scheduled for later that night. Haywood County Schools later said the prom ended early after the shooting. Brownsville Mayor William D. Rawls said the violence stole a night that was meant to be joyful for the Class of 2026. “Last night’s tragedy was senseless and heartbreaking,” Rawls said in a statement Saturday morning.
Investigators said five people were shot and taken to hospitals. Hayes later died from her injuries. Officials have not released the full list of wounded victims or their ages. Local reporting said the victims were believed to be teenagers. Brownsville Police Chief Kelvin Evans said early information suggested the shooting may have involved one gunman, not an exchange of gunfire. “This was not a shootout,” Evans said. Police also had to break up fights after the gunfire, but officials said no additional injuries were reported from those disturbances.
Evans described the park as chaotic after the shots were fired. He said about 200 people were at the park, where students had been taking photos in formal clothes before prom. Officers from several agencies helped Brownsville police, including sheriff’s deputies, state troopers and drug task force officers. At least two wounded victims had injuries that were not considered life-threatening, while a juvenile boy with a more serious head wound was expected to recover. Officials had not released updated conditions for all surviving victims by Sunday.
Haywood County Schools Superintendent Amie Marsh said Hayes was a hardworking student with a positive attitude. Marsh said Hayes was “full of potential and promise” and had hopes for the future that would now remain unrealized. The district canceled classes for Monday, May 11, to give students, families, faculty and staff time to grieve. School leaders said they were working with law enforcement and community leaders as students and staff prepared to return after the shooting.
The shooting happened during a tense period for law enforcement in Brownsville. Evans said officers had answered several shots-fired calls in recent weeks, including one Thursday night in the same general area. He said investigators did not yet know whether the prom-night homicide was connected to any earlier calls. Webb Banks Passive Park, also known locally as Webb Banks Park, is a public gathering place in Brownsville. On Friday, it became the site of a large emergency response before twilight.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is helping Brownsville police at the request of 28th Judicial District Attorney General Frederick Agee. Special agents are reviewing the case as an apparent homicide with multiple wounded victims. No charges, court dates or named suspects had been announced by Sunday. Investigators were still working to determine what led to the shooting and whether any photos or videos from the park could help establish the sequence of events.
Haywood County Sheriff Billy Garrett Jr. said his office was mourning with the student’s family and supporting the investigation. Garrett called the shooting a senseless tragic event and said the county would use its resources to seek justice. Rawls also extended condolences to the family of the student who died and to those who were wounded. The mayor said the entire community was mourning with them during an “incredibly difficult time.”
By Sunday, the investigation remained active, with TBI agents and Brownsville police still working to identify who fired the shots. The next major update is expected from local law enforcement or state investigators as they review evidence and witness accounts.
Author note: Last updated May 10, 2026.