FYI.

This story is over 5 years old.

News

Louisiana Cops Face Murder Charges for Shooting That Killed 6-Year-Old Boy

Two officers have been charged with second-degree murder and attempted murder for fatally shooting a 6-year-old boy and wounding his father during a chase.
The mugshots of Marksville City Marshals Norris Greenhouse Jr. and Derrick Stafford. (Photos via Louisiana State Police/AP)

VICE News is closely watching policing in America. Check out the Officer Involved blog here.

Two Louisiana police officers were arrested on Friday and charged with murder for fatally shooting a 6-year-old boy and wounding his father during a chase.

The incident occurred on Tuesday as as Lieutenant Derrick Stafford and Officer Norris Greenhouse attempted to serve an arrest warrant on Chris Few in the central Louisiana community of Marksville. When Few attempted to flee in his car, the officers gave chase and opened fire.

Advertisement

According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, authorities reported that four city marshals, including Greenhouse and Stafford, were chasing the vehicle when they opened fire, wounding Few and killing his 6-year-old son Jeremy Mardis, who was riding in the front passenger seat. Mardis was fatally shot in the head and chest.

Related: The FBI Director Says Cops Are 'Under Siege' From Viral Videos

State police said they are still piecing together the details, and have reviewed footage captured on body cameras worn by the officers.

"I'm not going to talk about it, but I'm going to tell you this: It is the most disturbing thing I've seen," Colonel Michael Edmonson, superintendent of the Louisiana State Police, said during a Friday press conference announcing the arrests.

The officers have been charged with second-degree murder and attempted murder, Edmonson said. Two other officers are also under investigation in connection with the shooting, local media reported.

Marksville's Ward 2 Marshal Floyd Voinche Sr. told news station WBRZ that the marshals were acting on good authority when they tried to stop Few. Louisiana law allows deputy marshals "to write traffic tickets, make arrests and preserve the peace," Voinche said.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Follow VICE News on Twitter: @vicenews