Girl, 17, identified as victim of Mall of Louisiana shooting; Boy charged with murder

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Markel Lee (Photo: Baton Rouge Police Department)

BATON ROUGE, La. (TNND) — Authorities said 17-year-old Markel Lee was arrested the day after a shooting broke out at the Mall of Louisiana, killing one person and hurting five others.

Baton Rouge Police Chief TJ Morse on Friday said Lee was charged with first-degree murder, five counts of attempted first-degree murder, and one count of illegal use of a weapon.

Morse added that Lee, who has “an extensive criminal history” with the juvenile court system, surrendered to police earlier on Friday. Lee was accompanied by an attorney, Morse said.

The chief said five suspects were initially taken into custody, but they were later released. He said investigators are still searching for one more suspect, who was identified only as a male.

Police said they are still searching for one more suspect, identified only as a male. (Photo: Baton Rouge Police Department)

“If we can get his name and his identification, we might be able to start building a case against him, as well,” Morse said during a news conference.

Officials identified Martha Elizabeth Odom, 17, as the person who was killed. She was a senior at Ascension Episcopal School.

“Just one murder is one too many,” Baton Rouge Mayor Sid Edwards said during the news briefing.

In a social media post by the school, Odom was described as “a joyful presence whose kindness and infectious enthusiasm brought light to all who knew her.” Two other seniors from the school were among those injured, according to the post.

Police said the shooting, which erupted on Thursday, stemmed from an exchange between two groups in the food court and was not a random act. Morse said the shooting seemed to be driven by “social media beefs and maybe gang-related stuff,” adding that the investigation remains ongoing.

“We know that this was two groups of people that met up at the mall, exchanged words and then pulled guns and innocent people were hit,” Morse said.

Morse said one person remains in surgery, while four others suffered minor injuries.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, who vowed to crack down on gang violence in the capital city and said he had spoken with Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel. The Republican governor promised to use state, local and federal resources to address the issue and that consequences “are going to start being felt immediately.”

Landry said he was asking all levels and sectors of law enforcement to “prepare for a targeted warrant sweep” for anyone connected to the mall shooting. He said it would focus on the “neighborhoods that these individuals came out of” without naming specific parts of the city.

“We are not going to allow our streets, our schools and our public spaces to become your battleground,” Landry said. “Those who brought this violence into our public spaces and into the lives of our ordinary citizens, I want you to know you are now the criminal problem and we are focused on you.”

Edwards also addressed those responsible, saying, “To the thugs that did this, we’re going to catch you.”

The shooting marked the second instance of gun violence in the state this week. During the weekend, a father fatally shot eight children, including seven of his own.