Reginald Butler was arrested and charged with aggravated assault in Adams County, Mississippi after a white man who allegedly attacked him earlier that day was shot during a second confrontation on a rural bridge, according to reports.
Deputies responded Friday evening (July 11) to reports of a fight near a party on Deerfield Road, but before they arrived, they were informed that a shooting had occurred. Investigators later determined that two separate encounters led to the gunfire.
In the first incident, captured partially on video, Butler was seen being beaten by a group of white men. He escaped the attack on a bicycle. About a mile away, one of those men allegedly confronted Butler again on a bridge, exited a vehicle and began assaulting him, witnesses said.
Butler then pulled a firearm and fired multiple rounds, striking the man in the chest and hitting the vehicle once. Both men fled the scene.
Butler was later located at his home and taken into custody. The firearm believed to have been used in the shooting was recovered. The wounded man was transported by emergency crews to Kingston Ball Field, where he was airlifted to a hospital.
Butler was also taken to a hospital by deputies to be treated for injuries from the earlier assault.
Authorities identified Cameron Taunton as one of the men involved in the initial beating. He was initially charged with simple assault causing bodily injury. Despite video evidence and witness statements indicating Butler was attacked a second time before he fired his weapon, he remains in custody at the Adams County Jail.
Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten addressed the community’s growing concerns after the video of the initial assault surfaced.
“To the individuals whose identities were captured in these videos or whose voices can be heard on the videos, come to the sheriff’s office on Monday first thing, or we will be seeking you out and picking you up,” Patten said. “We are deeply troubled by the recent incident involving the assault on Reginald Butler and the subsequent arrest of all parties involved.
“The emergence of videos has shed new light on the events that took place that day when three individuals unjustly attacked a man who was simply minding his own business. We recognize the profound pain, anger and frustration this has caused the entire community and we share in the outrage over this injustice. Hate has no place in our society and certainly not in our community that has made so much progress.”
Still, Patten offered a rationale for Butler’s arrest that some have questioned.
“The decision to charge Butler with aggravated assault reflects the totality of circumstances at this stage,” Patten said, “including whether the use of force met legal standards for self-defense under Mississippi law. All of this is being reviewed now that the video evidence has emerged and statements have changed.”
Patten also noted that Butler had attempted to return to the scene of the initial assault, which he initially said factored into the decision to charge him—a claim he later admitted “isn’t completely accurate.”
Mississippi is one of 38 states with a “Stand Your Ground” law, which allows individuals to use deadly force if they reasonably believe it is necessary to prevent death or great bodily harm. Critics have long argued these laws are not applied equally, particularly when Black individuals claim self-defense.
Butler was released on a $50,000 bond on Monday (July 13). Taunton’s charges have been upgraded to aggravated assault and conspiracy to commit aggravated assault. He’s being held on a $350,000 bond.