WOODVILLE — A 23-year-old Woodville man died after being shot in the abdomen early Sunday morning, officials said.

Charles Lee Wells, of 1402 Stop and Go St., was shot at roughly 2 p.m. in front of Stewart Lounge in Woodville, Adams County Coroner James Lee said.

The incident is being investigated as a homicide case, Wilkinson County Sheriff Reginald Jackson said Sunday.

“There was a fight at the club that escalated on the inside of the club, and, revealing from the investigation, the victim was an innocent person who was trying to break up the fight,” Jackson said. “Apparently, when he left the club, that’s when he received the gunshot.”

The sheriff’s office has a suspect, but no arrests had been made Sunday, Jackson said.

“It’s still under investigation,” he said. “We’re still pulling in some witnesses. Nobody knows anything, which is the usual thing when that happens at a nightclub.”

Wells was shot in the lower part of his stomach, he said. Lee assisted the sheriff’s office, Jackson said.

“(Wells) was brought to Natchez Regional Medical Center by a privately-owned vehicle,” Lee said. “The ER staff evaluated him and rushed him to surgery for a gunshot wound to the abdomen.”

Wells died at 8:55 a.m. Sunday, Lee said. The cause of death was severe hemorrhaging from the gunshot wound.

The Mississippi State Crime Lab would perform an autopsy, he said. Lee said he would likely assist with the autopsy.