Sept. 3 (UPI) — An 11-year-old boy is charged with two counts of first-degree homicide within the capturing deaths of two relations inside a house in Minden, La., early Sunday morning.
He’s being held with a $500,000 bond set, Minden Police Chief Jared McIver stated throughout a 2 p.m. CDT information convention Tuesday.
“We’re leaning in direction of just one shooter,” McIver advised reporters. “That is not a conclusion” however “we’re not seeing proof there’s one other shooter.”
The unidentified boy, 11, is a member of the family of the 2 deceased capturing victims, who’re Joe Cornelius, 82, and his daughter, Keisha Miles, 31.
McIver declined to say how the boy is said to the 2 victims and stated the native prosecutor has not decided if the boy will probably be charged as a juvenile or an grownup.
Police acquired an emergency call reporting gun pictures at a house on the 111 Austin St. at 6:30 a.m. Sunday and located Joe Cornelius and Miles useless after every had been shot a number of occasions.
The officers additionally discovered the boy, whose age initially was reported as 10, and two hidden firearms, McIver stated.
McIver stated investigators consider each firearms had been used within the shootings however are awaiting forensics to verify they had been the one ones.
A guardian was current when investigators questioned the boy, who initially “gave a narrative that did not add up” however ultimately admitted to the capturing and the way he obtained the firearms, McIver advised media.
He declined to say how the boy obtained the firearms when requested by a reporter.
“If an individual needs to do hurt to somebody, they will try this,” McIver stated. “It does not matter what weapon was used.”
He stated the subsequent step within the investigation is to get all proof to make sure there was no different weapon used and anticipate autopsies on the victims.
A neighbor on Sunday advised a reporter for KSLA News he heard about eight gunshots fired inside the house.
The neighbor stated he’s Cornelius’ cousin and heard the boy and man arguing shortly earlier than listening to the pictures.
McIver stated a member of the family positioned the 911 name Sunday morning and the boy allegedly used two firearms to shoot and kill Cornelius and Miles, McIver stated.
McIver additionally stated investigators do not know the motive and hope to be taught quickly, including that discuss of the boy utilizing a bank card for video video games resulting in the argument and shootings is a “rumor.”
Cornelius was a “great-natured man” who labored with town marshals and regularly made pleasant visits the police station,” McIver stated, including that the “shock issue” of the double murder has affected a lot of the local people.
“It’s with deep unhappiness that we mourn the lack of Joe Cornelius Sr., a former longtime Minden Metropolis councilman and former appointed mayor of Minden,” the city’s Mayor Nick Cox stated Sunday in a prepared statement.
“Joe Cornelius’ years of service to Minden had been marked by his dedication and dedication to the betterment of our group. On a private word, I’m grateful for his friendship and the various methods he supported me and others in our metropolis,” Cox stated.
He requested native residents to “hold Joe’s household in our ideas and prayers.”
Minden is positioned about 30 miles east of Shreveport, La.
