Six dead as gunman goes on rampage in Mississippi town

A gunman went on a rampage in a small Mississippi town on Friday, killing six people in four locations before sheriff's deputies arrested him, local media and witnesses reported.

The bloodshed occurred in Arkabutla, a rural hamlet of less than 300 people in Tate County in northern Mississippi, about 40 miles (60 km) south of Memphis, Tennessee.

The unidentified gunman went to a store and shot a man dead, then went to a nearby home and fatally shot a woman, WJTV-12 reported, citing Tate County Sheriff Brad Lance.

He then went to a home that is believed to be where he lived and shot and killed two people there, WJTV said.

A sheriff's deputy spotted a vehicle fitting the description of the suspect's car and attempted to stop it. When the driver continued, the deputy gave chase, leading to the driveway of another home, where the suspect was arrested, WJTV reported.

At that home, officers found two more victims, one dead in a car and another dead in the roadway, WJTV said.

One man who witnessed some of the events at the store said he pulled out his pistol and considered firing at the suspect, who was armed with a shotgun but decided to hold his fire.

Instead, witness Ethan Cash told Reuters, he tended to a man who was shot inside his car outside the store and found he had no pulse and was unresponsive.

Cash, 18, said he then drew his pistol on another man, who turned out to be the victim's brother, who was injured.

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves said on social media he was briefed on the incidents. Authorities arrested a man who is believed to have acted alone and a motive is not yet known, Reeves said.

MG