Warrants Issued and Authorities in Louisiana Asking for Help Locating Suspected Shooter and Driver in Bonfire Shooting Incident

Union Parish, Louisiana – Warrants have been issued and authorities in Louisiana are asking for help locating the suspected shooter and driver in a bonfire shooting incident

The Union Parish Sheriff’s Office (UPSO) is looking for Tyrone Lavelle Singleton, 40, and Willie Preston Singleton, 32. Tyrone is 6’1″ tall and weighs 260 pounds, whereas Willie is 5’11” tall and weighs 207 pounds. Both are known to frequent the Spearsville, Louisiana, Junction City, Louisiana, and Bernice, Louisiana areas.

Tyrone is wanted on a felony warrant for Attempted Second Degree Murder, while Willie is wanted on a felony warrant for Hit and Run (6 counts).

On Sunday, February 19, 2023, UPSO responded to Bernice, Louisiana to help Bernice Police officers with an incident that resulted in multiple people being struck by a vehicle and one person being shot in the head. The incident occurred during a bonfire event at the baseball field near the intersection of Willis Reed St and West 2nd St in Bernice.
Bernice Police requested that UPSO complete the inquiry. An additional hit-and-run victim has been identified since our first news release.

The UPSO Criminal Investigation Division discovered that a group of persons had assembled at the bonfire gathering to make a music video. Two males then got into a verbal altercation, which was thought to be the result of an earlier quarrel over narcotics.
According to witnesses, Tyrone Singleton, 40, of Spearsville, Louisiana arrived at the bonfire gathering in search of Willie Singleton, 32, also of Spearsville. Witnesses said Tyrone brandished a handgun when he found Willie. Willie immediately got into his vehicle and attempted to flee from Tyrone. Despite the fact that there were many exits from where Willie was parked, he swiftly put the vehicle in reverse and drove away. During this time, Willie’s Dodge Challenger struck and injured six pedestrians. Each injured person suffered non-life-threatening injuries ranging from soft-tissue damage to a fractured leg.

Witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots as Willie drove away from the scene in his Dodge Challenger. Willie’s vehicle was discovered in the ditch near the ballpark, unoccupied, by deputies. Willie was discovered behind a nearby house, suffering from a single gunshot wound to the head.    Deputies collected more than ten expended shot casings from a .223 caliber rifle, which was believed to have been fired by Tyrone at Willie while he was fleeing from Tyrone. As Tyrone fled the scene, Willie was evacuated to a neighboring trauma hospital and released later that day.

Authorities are asking for anyone with information on the whereabouts of these persons to call (318) 368-3124 or submit an anonymous tip using the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office Mobile App. Reference Case 23020058

A person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.