Howard Industries shooting victim dies

LAUREL, Miss. (WDAM) – A man who was shot three times on May 5 outside the Howard Industries plant in Laurel died Saturday.

Jones County Corner Burl Hall confirmed Sunday that 57-year-old Dale Thornton had passed away.

The man who has been accused of firing the shots, Keith Hinton, was arrested the same day the shooting happened.

Hinton, 20, was released on May 7 after posting a $750,000 bond following his first appearance before Judge Kyle Robertson in Laurel Municipal Court..

Originally, Hinton had been charged with aggravated assault and attempted murder. It was not clear whether those charges will be upgraded.

“We’ll have information (Monday),” Laurel Police Department Chief Tommy Cox said Sunday.

Hinton, 20, Purvis, is accused of shooting a Howard Industries employee outside the company’s Laurel location.

Officials said Hinton ran into the plant after the shooting, triggering an evacuation and manhunt.

He was arrested in Perkinston in Stone County less than two hours later.

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