High school senior identified as person killed in shooting at Lousiana mall | Louisiana
The man killed in a mass shooting at a mall in Louisiana’s capital city Thursday afternoon that left five people injured when two groups exchanged gunfire in the food court was identified as a high school senior, according to authorities.
Martha Odom, 16, died from a gunshot wound to the chest, according to a statement released Friday by the local coroner’s office.
Martha was one of three high school seniors at Ascension Episcopal school caught in the crossfire at the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge. On Friday, the school released a statement saying Martha’s classmates will remember her as “a joyful presence whose kindness and infectious enthusiasm brought light to all who knew her.”
“Ascension Episcopal School carries this cross together,” the statement said. “We hold each other close with tremendous faith and love.”
The statement said at least five of the school’s students were present during the deadly confrontation and were caught in the crossfire. Louisiana’s Lawyer newspaper reported These five students were said to be at the mall for an unofficial “jump day” for seniors at Ascension Episcopal as their graduation approaches.
Police said five people were arrested in connection with Thursday’s violence.
Louisiana’s attorney general, Liz Murrill, released a statement identifying herself as a friend of the Odom family and saying Martha’s death was “a devastating loss of an innocent life.”
“Martha [had] Murrill’s statement said: “Those responsible for this senseless violence must face the full force of the law.”
As of Friday, there have been at least 122 mass shootings in the United States this year, including Thursday at the Mall of Louisiana, according to the Gun Violence Archive. The archive, a nonpartisan reference source, defines mass shootings as situations in which four or more victims are injured or shot.
Research shows that gun violence is the leading cause of death for teens and young children in the United States. This fact, combined with the high rate of mass shootings seen annually in the United States, has led many to call for the federal government to implement more comprehensive gun control.
But for years, Congress did not heed these pleas.
Martha’s death comes less than a week after another mass shooting in Louisiana left eight children dead in Shreveport. Police described the attack in Shreveport as a “domestic violence incident” committed by the father of seven. Two adults were also injured. According to authorities, the attacker died after carjacking a person, but it is unclear whether he committed suicide or was shot and killed by police.
Authorities said one of the injured adults was the spouse of the attacker, with whom she shared four of the slain children. The other was the attacker’s girlfriend and the mother of the other three murdered children.
Associated Press contributed reporting
