Louisiana marshals kill 6-year-old boy after shooting at fleeing suspect

The names of the four officers who were at the scene have not been released to the public, but in a press conference held on Thursday, Col. Mike Edmonson, the head of Louisiana State Police, said that they will be speaking to all the police officers involved in order to ascertain the full story behind the death of Jeremy Mardis. However, Moreau said that the Louisiana State Police has not been able to verify if there were any outstanding arrest warrants because “the officers [involved in the shooting] have refused to talk to us”.

Investigators also initially stated that the father was being pursued over warrants, however, Edmonson has admitted that they have not found any open warrants.

He also strongly doubted his stepson was carrying a weapon and said he found it hard to believe he would flee authorities with his son in the vehicle. Edmonson said that a forensic investigation of the scene had not turned up any evidence that bullets had been fired by anyone but law enforcement. Instead of pulling over, officials say Few led deputies on a chase through Marksville, finally turning down Martin Luther King Drive, which is a dead end street.

It was not immediately clear what type of warrant the marshals were trying to serve.

The night of the accident, the Marshals told State Police that Few was backing his vehicle toward them and they felt in danger. “As far as what caused his death, the only thing I have been told is he died from gunshot wounds”.

Marksville Mayor John Lemoine sent a request to the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office in September, concerned about the City Marshal’s deputies.

Moreau could not say if the marshals were aware that a child was in the vehicle, but added that “I would think they wouldn’t have shot at it” if they knew.

According to Edmonson, officers involved in any shooting are given a “day or two to rest and get sleep”, before being interviewed about what happened, KSLA reported.

“Jeremy was a special gift from God”, Samantha Few, his grandmother, told Fox 10.

In an interview with the Guardian, Dixon said she and Few had been bickering at a local pool hall shortly before the incident and that Few left to pick up his son at a relative’s house. He loved everyone he met and they loved him. “He wouldn’t hurt a fly”. He could not comment on whether any action has been taken against them. The fourth officer had been called in from the Marksville Police Department as backup.