Man Sentenced for Shootings at Family Reunion at Canton Masonic Lodge

Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney Bubba Bramlett announced today that George Alton Smith, 32, pled guilty to second degree murder and aggravated assault charges in Madison County Circuit Court. He was sentenced to serve forty years, day for day, in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, without the possibility of parole. 

On June 25, 2023, law enforcement officers with the Canton Police Department were dispatched to the Anderson Masonic Lodge with reports of multiple people being shot. When they arrived on scene, they discovered Jordan Deere had been shot and killed. Daryl Dortch, Densie Page, and James Williams had also been shot and were injured. Mr. Dortch was airlifted to UMMC for his wounds. He passed away due to complications from his injuries on February 14, 2024. 

At the time of the shooting, there was a large group of men, women, and children inside the event hall for the third day of a weekend-long family reunion. Many of the attendees were able to escape the gunfire by running out of the building to a residential neighborhood behind the lodge. Witnesses reported that the shooter walked inside the event hall and began firing his weapon indiscriminately at people and reloading his firearm several times as he carried out his attack of the people at the event. 

Many of the family members, including two of the actual shooting victims, were able to identify the suspect by the clothing he wore at the time of the shooting and describe his vehicle for police. Officers were able to quickly stop the suspect vehicle and took Smith into custody as he was driving away from the scene. The shell casings found at the crime scene were consistent with the gun and bullets found in Smith’s truck at the time of his arrest. 

The shooter was a stranger to the family members present and had no known ties to any of the families at the reunion or even the Canton area. There appears to be no motive for the shootings. 

District Attorney Bramlett stated, “Our hearts go out to each and every person that was at the Anderson Masonic Lodge on June 25, 2023. What should have been the final day of a family reunion turned into a nightmare for the many men, women, and children who were at the Lodge at that time. We may never know why George Smith walked into that building and began firing on innocent strangers. But, we will continue to pray for all of those affected due to the uncomprehensible violence at the hands of the Defendant.” 

Defendant: 

Name: George Alton Smith 

DOB: 08/04/1992 

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