The Latest: Mom, 2 daughters, grandson slain in Mississippi

JACKSON, Miss. – The Latest on four people killed in the rural eastern Mississippi community of Toomsuba (all times local):

3:30 p.m.

Authorities say a mother, her two adult daughters and a grandson were killed at a home in eastern Mississippi.

Lauderdale County Chief Sheriff’s Deputy Ward Calhoun says authorities are questioning people, but have no suspects yet in the shooting deaths. Authorities believe the killings in the Toomsuba community happened sometime Monday night.

Calhoun identified the slain as 65-year-old Edna Durr and her daughters, Tomecca Pickett, 42, and Kiearra Durr, 27. Also killed was Pickett’s 5-year-old son, Owen Pickett. Kierra Durr’s 3-year-old daughter was not shot and survived the attack.

Calhoun says the bodies have been taken to Mississippi’s state crime lab for autopsies. He says investigators continue to search the property for evidence.

The deputy has said there was no sign of forced entry, and authorities don’t think the shootings were part of a murder-suicide. Neighbors called police after they got no answer at the house Tuesday.

___

Noon

Investigators say a 5-year-old boy and three of his family members were shot to death at a home in eastern Mississippi.

Lauderdale County Chief Sheriff’s Deputy Ward Calhoun says investigators are pursuing “numerous leads” after the child and the bodies of three women were found in the community of Toomsuba, near the Alabama state line.

Authorities have not released a motive or the names of the slain. They say they do not think the shootings were part of a murder-suicide. They haven’t identified a suspect.

A younger child was found unharmed at the home and taken to a hospital.

Neighbours called police after they got no answer at the house Tuesday. Calhoun says a deputy found broken glass and forced his way inside, finding the bodies.

___

11 a.m.

Authorities say three women and a child have died in a shooting at a home in eastern Mississippi.

Lauderdale County Coroner Clayton Cobler says the four people were discovered Tuesday morning with gunshot wounds. Cobler says he has yet to examine the bodies, and did not release names or ages.

He says another child was found physically unharmed at the home and taken to a local hospital.

It’s unclear what prompted the shooting.

Cobler says neighbours called a sheriff’s deputy to the home after they didn’t see any activity there Monday. Cobler says the deputy found a shattered screen door with a bullet hole.

The home is about 5 miles from the Alabama state line.