VIDALIA — Vidalia Police Department investigators have identified one suspect in Monday’s triple shooting that left one dead and two injured.

According to a statement from the police department, the name is not being released pending further investigation.

VPD Public Information Officer Bruce Wiley said initial reports indicated multiple suspects were involved in the shooting, but as of right now it is possible there was only one shooter.

“We are currently only looking at the one suspect, but there still could have been multiple people involved,” he said.

Eyewitness reports of the incident indicate that the shooting stemmed from a territory dispute among Vidalia residents from “uptown” and “downtown.”

Wiley said the “uptown” and “downtown” problem is something the VPD has been dealing with off and on since 2007.

“We really have not had a problem with this in a while. This is the first reported incident involving territory since right before last summer,” he said. “It is a rare occurrence, but it does pop back up.”

Wiley said when the station receives calls regarding territorial incidents, the usual protocol difused the situation.

“When we have heard it before, we generally just send out extra patrols in the areas where there are the most problems,” he said.

Wiley said the “uptown” and “downtown” problems are usually confined to the areas from John Dale Drive toward the riverfront and then on toward North Magnolia Street.

With the aftermath of the shooting still unraveling, Wiley said the VPD does not believe any more acts of violence will stem from the incident.

“We are not expecting any retaliation,” he said. “We have extra patrols out, and we have investigators working on the case,” he said.

Wiley also said reports from around Vidalia have also pointed toward no retaliation.

“As far as word on the street, the information coming in has been good,” he said.

Wiley said investigators are still working on the case, and the VPD will continue to have extra patrols in the area.

“We are always out looking for people roaming the streets after dark and doing things they shouldn’t be doing,” he said.

Police were called to the 300 block of South Spruce Street just after 1 a.m. Monday.

Derrick Smith, 20, of Vidalia was shot one time in the left chest area. He was taken to Natchez Regional Medical Center by Metro Ambulance Service where he was later pronounced dead.

Lionell Dean, 26, of Vidalia was shot one time in the lower right chest area and is currently being treated at an area hospital.

Duntrell R. Washington, 27, of Vidalia was also struck one time in the right shoulder and was able to drive himself to an area hospital before police arrived on the scene.

VPD Chief Investigator Randy Stockman said when officers first arrived at the scene, Smith was lying on the ground on Spruce Street. Dean was inside a nearby residence.

It is unknown if the victims were armed.

“Uptown” Vidalia is on the north side of Carter Street, and reportedly ranges from the old courthouse to the river.

“Downtown” is on the south side of Carter Street, and reportedly extends from the police station on John Dale Drive to the riverfront.