Six Die in Mississippi Mass Shooting; Suspect in Custody
Six Die in Mississippi Mass Shooting; Suspect in Custody
Six people were killed in a sequence of shootings in West Point, Mississippi, with a 24-year-old suspect in custody as investigators probe the motive.
Six people were fatally shot in a Friday night spree across three sites in West Point, Mississippi, authorities said, with the shooting suspect later taken into custody. Daricka Moore, 24, is accused of killing his father, brother and uncle at the first location, then stealing a truck and driving to a second site where he allegedly attempted to sexually assault a 7-year-old girl who was also related to him before fatally shooting her. A 911 call then directed law enforcement to a third site, where two more males were found dead, one of whom was a local pastor. Moore was apprehended at a nearby location just before midnight, Clay County officials said. The motives for the killings remain unknown as investigators continue their work, and the district attorney indicated the charge could be upgraded to capital murder with the death penalty a possibility if Moore is found mentally competent.
The six victims — including a child and a pastor — were killed across multiple locations, prompting a rapid law enforcement response and a large-scale investigation. Authorities described the incident as horrific and said autopsies would be performed by the Mississippi Crime Lab to determine precise causes of death as the investigation unfolds.
Moore, a county resident, is set to appear in court on Monday. Officials emphasized that the community remains shaken but urged residents to remain vigilant as investigators pursue additional details. The case is still developing, and prosecutors have not released further motive information at this time, focusing instead on following the evidence and pursuing every legal option available.
