Mississippi triple‑scene shooting kills six; DA to seek death penalty
Authorities say 24‑year‑old Daricka M. Moore is in custody after allegedly killing six people — including a 7‑year‑old child — at three locations in West Point, Mississippi, near the Alabama border; victims included Moore’s father, uncle and brother and a local pastor, and officials say Moore acted alone. Moore has been charged with first‑degree murder with prosecutors indicating charges may be upgraded to capital murder and District Attorney Scott Colom has said he will seek the death penalty; investigators also reported an attempted sexual battery and that a gun was put to another child’s head but did not fire, and no other injuries were reported.
📌 Key Facts
- The shootings took place in West Point, Mississippi, in the Cedarbluff area near the Alabama border, with six people killed across three separate locations.
- The six victims include a 7-year-old girl who investigators say was the suspect’s second cousin.
- Sheriff Eddie Scott said that at the first location the suspect allegedly shot his father, uncle and brother in the head just before 7 p.m.
- At a second location, authorities say the suspect attempted sexual battery on an adult, then shot the child in front of witnesses; two other children and their mother were present and witnesses reported the suspect put a gun to another child’s head but it may have misfired.
- At the third location, two men were killed, one of whom was a local pastor; investigators are still determining the suspect’s relationship to those brothers.
- Authorities say evidence and witness statements indicate the suspect acted alone, no other injuries were reported, and the sheriff said there is no ongoing threat to the community.
- The suspect has been identified as 24-year-old Daricka M. Moore and has been charged with first-degree murder; officials said the charge could be upgraded to capital murder and additional counts are expected.
- District Attorney Scott Colom said he intends to seek the death penalty against Moore; online Clay County court records show Moore has no prior criminal charges and an initial court appearance is scheduled for Monday.
- Sheriff Scott posted on Facebook asking the public to pray for victims and families, said authorities would hold a morning news conference, and his office declined to provide further details when contacted by CBS News.
📊 Relevant Data
In 2019, approximately 92% of Black homicide victims in the United States were killed by Black offenders, while 81% of White homicide victims were killed by White offenders, indicating a high degree of intra-racial homicide patterns.
Expanded Homicide Data Table 6 — FBI Uniform Crime Reporting
Clay County's population declined from 20,634 in 2010 to 18,636 in 2020, representing a 9.7% decrease, which may contribute to economic stagnation and higher poverty rates.
Clay County, Mississippi - U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts — U.S. Census Bureau
In rural America, the firearm homicide rate for Black children and teens rose over the past decade, becoming 3.5 times higher than for White rural youth by recent years.
Rural America Sees Gun Deaths of Black Children and Teens Rise — The Trace
Mississippi's high poverty rates are linked to a weakened social safety net and decreased access to economic opportunities, exacerbating conditions in counties like Clay.
Why Mississippi Can't Wait for Economic Justice — Southern Poverty Law Center
📰 Source Timeline (5)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Sheriff Eddie Scott detailed that at the first location, suspect Daricka Moore allegedly shot his father, uncle and brother in the head just before 7 p.m.
- At the second location, Moore allegedly attempted sexual battery on an adult victim before shooting and killing a 7‑year‑old girl in front of witnesses.
- Witnesses reported Moore then put a gun to the head of a younger child, but it is unclear whether the weapon misfired or Moore chose not to shoot.
- Authorities say there were two other children and their mother present in the home during the killing of the 7‑year‑old.
- One of the two men killed at the third location was a local pastor; investigators are still determining Moore’s relationship to those brothers.
- District Attorney Scott Colom publicly stated he intends to pursue the death penalty against Moore, calling the alleged crimes "about as bad as it gets."
- Suspect identified as 24-year-old Daricka M. Moore.
- Moore has been charged with first-degree murder, with Sheriff Eddie Scott saying the charge could be upgraded to capital murder and that additional counts are expected.
- Sheriff Scott says six victims were shot at three separate locations in the Cedarbluff area, four of them family members of Moore and two other adults.
- The youngest victim was a 7-year-old second cousin of Moore; investigators say Moore put a gun to another younger child’s head but it may have misfired.
- Online Clay County court records show Moore has no previous criminal charges; initial court appearance is scheduled for Monday.
- Sheriff Scott says evidence and witnesses indicate Moore acted alone and that no other injuries were reported beyond the six deaths.
- Authorities explicitly confirm that the six people killed in the West Point, Mississippi mass shooting include a child.
- Confirms the total death toll remains at six at the time of this update.
- Confirms the shootings occurred in the town of West Point, Mississippi, near the Alabama border.
- Specifies that the six fatalities occurred across three locations in West Point, per Sheriff Eddie Scott’s comments to local outlet WTVA.
- Reports that authorities will hold a morning news conference and that the sheriff’s office declined to provide further details when contacted by CBS News.
- Includes a direct quote from Sheriff Scott’s Facebook post asking the public to keep victims and families in their prayers and stating there is no ongoing threat to the community.