Six people were fatally shot Friday in the rural Mississippi town of Arkabutla and a suspect has been taken into custody, according to local authorities.
Driving the news: Police have arrested and charged 52-year-old Richard Dale Crum of Arkabutla with first-degree murder "in connection with this case," the local sheriff's office said in a statement.
- "Additional charges, for each of the other victims, will be filed in the coming days," per the Tate County Sheriff's Office. Crum is being held in county jail without bond.
- "The investigation is ongoing and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation has been asked to assist in the matter," the state's Public Safety Department said.
Details: Arkabutla is a small, unincorporated community located about 45 miles south of Memphis, Tenn.
- "At this time, we believe he acted alone," Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said of the suspect. "His motive is not yet known."
Of note: A nearby elementary school and a high school were temporarily put on lockdown due to "an active shooter on the loose from Arkabutla," the Coldwater Elementary School wrote on its Facebook page.
- The lockdown was lifted a short time later and all students and staff were deemed safe.
- The Tate County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to Axios' request for information.
The big picture: This marks the third mass shooting in Mississippi so far this year, according to data from Gun Violence Archive.
- The research group defines a mass shooting as a situation in which at least four people are shot and either injured or killed, not including the shooter.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with information from police about the suspect and charges.
