Sunday night, yet another young Natchez man was killed in a senseless act of gun violence.

Month after month, it seems, a small segment of Natchez’s young male population appears to be slowly killing itself off. A deadly combination of stupidity and misplaced role models is likely at the heart.

Police investigators and prosecutors must try to work out the who, what, where, when and why of the situation.

What is publicly known is that at least three young men were riding in a car Sunday night, traveling on Homochitto Street — a main artery into historic downtown and a route traveled by thousands of tourists each year — when a gun went off inside the car.

A 20-year-old man was killed and two teenagers inside the car are in jail awaiting the legal system to process them. Allegedly the shooter was riding in the backseat playing with a pistol when he discharged the firearm, shooting the front seat passenger. The young man died hours later at the hospital.

Police say the firearm used in the shooting was stolen. In addition, investigators say they found additional stolen firearms inside the vehicle as well as suspected marijuana.

Why three young men were driving along with stolen guns in their possession is anyone’s guess, but clearly that fact alone proves someone inside the vehicle was breaking the law, even before the bullet left the pistol’s chamber. Gun control laws wouldn’t have stopped this crime.

Sadly, all too often, it seems a small segment of our community’s youth seems to look to the wrong kinds of role models, choosing a criminal, street life aspiration, which sadly often ends in death.

The culture that celebrates carrying and wielding guns as a show of power and fame must end.