6 killed, 24-year-old charged with murder : NPR

A rampage shooting at three locations left six people dead in Clay County, Mississippi, Friday night, in a case that authorities are calling one of the most heinous in recent memory. The suspected shooter is in custody and has been charged with murder.

The victims ranged in age from a 7-year-old girl to a 67-year-old man, Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott told reporters Saturday. No other injuries were reported, he said.

“At this point, we do not know the motive for these actions,” Scott said.

The victims include the father, uncle and brother of the alleged shooter. The unnamed 7-year-old was also linked to the alleged attacker.

“This has really, really shaken our community, and for me, for almost 30 years, it’s one of the most difficult issues that we’ve had to work on,” Scott said.

According to the sheriff’s office, Daricka Moore, 24, is accused of opening fire at the first location shortly before 7 p.m., killing his father, uncle and brother with a gunshot to the head. Evidence and witnesses lead investigators to believe Moore was the only shooter, Scott said.

Moore then stole his brother’s truck, authorities said, and drove to a second location where he attempted to sexually assault a victim. In front of witnesses, Moore is accused of then shooting and killing the 7-year-old girl.

Scott said there were two other children in the house at the time, in addition to the children’s mother. Hee said that based on testimony, a second, younger child was also threatened with a gun at that location.

“According to statements, after the 7-year-old was violently murdered, a gun was stuck to the head of a small child in the home,” the sheriff said, adding that it was unclear whether the gun misfired or whether Moore did not pull the trigger on the second child.

“That’s how violent he was, shooting one and pointing a gun at another.”

Moore then fled to a third location where two other men were found dead from gunshot wounds. The sheriff’s office said it was not yet sure what relationship Moore had with the latest victims, who are brothers, but that one of the men was a pastor at a local church.

Moore was charged with first-degree murder, but that charge is expected to be upgraded to capital murder with additional charges to come, Sheriff Scott said.

District Attorney Scott Colom said that given the extreme nature of the crimes, his office would pursue the death penalty against Moore, if he were eligible.

“Usually I consult with the victims and wait, but in some cases they have to suffer the worst punishment,” Colom said. “Six people, one night, several different scenes. You’ve heard the allegations, they’re as bad as it gets.”