An 11-year-old boy shot and killed the 82-year-old onetime mayor of a northwest Louisiana town, police say.
Minden Police Chief Jared McIver told local news outlets that the boy told police that he shot and killed Joe Cornelius Sr., 82, and his daughter, Keisha Miles, 31. Both were found Sunday morning with multiple gunshot wounds.
Officials haven’t said how the boy, who is in custody, was related to the victims. Neighbors told KSLA-TV that they heard Cornelius and the boy arguing and later heard multiple gunshots.
“About eight gunshots. Pow, pow, pow and then pow, pow, pow,” one neighbor told the station.
Cornelius was a longtime member of the Minden city council who was appointed mayor for a time in 2013 after the previous mayor died.
City of Minden
He was also a former sheriff’s deputy and marshal. A pillar of the town’s Black community, Cornelius was a former funeral home worker who had run programs for youth and helped launch local Black history observations.
“Joe Cornelius’ years of service to Minden were marked by his commitment and dedication to the betterment of our community,” Minden Mayor Nick Cox said in a statement on social media. “On a personal note, I am grateful for his friendship and the many ways he supported me and others in our city.”
The shooting left Minden residents shaken.
“It makes my heart bleed,” one resident told KSLA-TV. “It makes me sad how a little 11-year-old kid can get a gun.”
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story reported the boy was 10 years old, based on initial information provided by police.
