2 Cops Arrested in Shooting Death of Boy, 6

Body camera footage is disturbing, police say
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 7, 2015 6:11 AM CST
2 Cops Arrested in Shooting Death of Boy, 6
This booking photo provided by the Louisiana State Police shows Marksville City Marshal Derrick Stafford.    (Louisiana State Police via AP)

Two Louisiana police officers have been arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the Tuesday night shooting death of 6-year-old Jeremy Mardis. Officers Norris Greenhouse Jr., 23, and Lt. Derrick Stafford, 32, were working side jobs as marshals in the city of Marksville when the shooting occurred, and State Police Col. Mike Edmonson says body camera footage recovered from the officers is "the most disturbing thing I've seen," the AP reports. Two other officers moonlighting for the marshal agency were present at the shooting and Edmonson says more arrests are possible, reports the Advocate, which notes that there appear to be tensions between the city and the agency, which is run by a school bus driver who lacks law enforcement certification.

Jeremy, whose grandmother says he was recently diagnosed as autistic, died after being shot five times and his father, Chris Few, was critically injured when officers opened fire on their vehicle, NBC reports. "That little boy was buckled in the front seat of that vehicle and that is how he died," Edmonson said at a Friday night press conference. "He didn't deserve to die like that." The officers claimed to be pursuing a warrant, but Edmonson told reporters at a Friday night conference that "no warrant has materialized" and Few was unarmed. He says at least 18 shots were fired by officers during the incident, which took place at an intersection, not a dead end as previously reported, according to the Advocate. (More shooting stories.)

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