Bay-Waveland after-prom shooting survivor speaks out

It’s been several days since the after-prom shooting in Bay St. Louis that left two dead and four injured. Haeleigh Stamper and De’Arreis Smith were the two teens who lost their lives in the shooting.

Seventeen-year-old Hancock High junior Diamond Joseph was an attendee at the post-prom party this weekend that left two dead.

When the gunfire went off, Diamond tells News 25 that she quickly ran to the back of the house where she found Haeleigh Stamper suffering from gunshot wounds.

When she noticed her injured friend, she immediately went to pick her up and then escaped in a car along with two other friends.

Diamond and one friend attempted to comfort Haeleigh while the other friend drove to the hospital where they waited for Haeleigh to be air-lifted to a hospital in New Orleans.

Since the news of Haeleigh’s death, Diamond says that it has been hard, but she is focused on staying strong.

She says she and Haeleigh were nearly inseparable since elementary school and Haeleigh had been a constant bright light in her life. “Me and Haeleigh have been knowing each other since elementary, 4th grade. Prior to this, she has been to our house like every day of the week. We’ve been hanging out like every day. That was my girl. It’s been weird. I’ve been missing her a lot, but I know she wouldn’t want me sad, so I’ve just been taking it day by day cause Haeleigh is the type of person that wouldn’t want nobody sad and crying over her. She would want us still living our lives doing what we did on a daily basis, so that’s what I’ve just been doing.”

Diamond was also grazed in the leg by a bullet, but still managed to escape with Haeleigh in her arms.