BROOKHAVEN, Miss. (AP) — Authorities in Mississippi said Sunday that a suspect is in custody after eight people were killed in a shooting, including a sheriff's deputy.
Mississippi Bureau of Investigation spokesman Warren Strain said the shootings occurred at three separate homes Saturday night in rural Lincoln County. Two of the homes are in Brookhaven and one is in Bogue Chitto. The area is about 68 miles (109 kilometers) south of Jackson, the capital.
Strain said investigators were gathering evidence at all three locations.
Strain said charges have not yet been filed against the suspect and that it would be "premature" to discuss a motive.
It was not clear whether the suspect knew his victims before allegedly killing them.
Gov. Phil Bryant issued a statement asking state residents to pray for the victims. He also noted the "sacrifice" made by law enforcement officers to protect and serve their communities.
"Every day, the men and women who wear the badge make some measure of sacrifice to protect and serve their communities. Too often, we lose one of our finest. I thank the law enforcement agencies involved for their hard work," Bryant said in a statement.