Six killed, including a child, in Mississippi shooting, suspect charged with murder
Four members of the same family and related to the suspect - including a 7-year-old - and two other adults were shot at three separate locations, according to local law enforcement.
- Updated
- World
- North America
- Violence
January 11, 2026 — 7.37am
West Point, Mississippi: Authorities have charged a 24-year-old man with murder after six people – including a child – were killed in a series of shootings in north-east Mississippi.
Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott said the victims – the shooter’s father, brother, uncle, seven-year-old cousin, a church pastor and the pastor’s brother – were shot in a rampage in a rural area late on Friday (Saturday AEDT).
Daricka M. Moore at the Clay County jail in West Point, Mississippi.Credit: Clay County Sheriff’s office
“I don’t know what kind of motive you could have to kill a seven-year-old,” Scott told media.
The suspect was identified as Daricka M. Moore. He has been charged with first-degree murder and may face additional murder charges as the investigation proceeds.
Moore was arrested at a police roadblock in Cedarbluff just before midnight after dozens of local, state and federal officers flooded the northeast Mississippi area.
Moore was being held without bail at the Clay County jail in West Point on murder charges and was expected to make an initial appearance before a judge on Monday.
Six people, including a seven-year-old girl, died in the shootings.Credit: Bloomberg
Clay County District Attorney Scott Colom, who said he expected to pursue the death penalty, and a public defender would probably be appointed for Moore.
If charges are upgraded to capital murder before then, Moore will be ineligible for bail under state law.
Scott said at a news conference that evidence and witnesses indicated that Moore was the only shooter and no other injuries have been reported.
Online court records in Clay County show Moore has no previous criminal charges, and Scott said he was not on the radar of authorities.
Investigators were continuing to interview Moore but had yet to find a motivation, he added.
“A situation like this, you’ve got a family member attacking their own family,” Scott said. “Whatever the reason is, we’re hoping that we’ll find out.”