Five suspects wanted in connection with the deadly Fourth of July mass shooting in Centreville have been taken into custody following a coordinated law enforcement operation across Louisiana and Ohio.
Authorities announced that multiple agencies carried out simultaneous arrests during the early morning hours of July 29, capturing the suspects sought by the Wilkinson County Sheriff’s Office for their alleged roles in a shooting that claimed two lives and injured seven others.
According to the Louisiana State Police Fugitive Task Force, four suspects were arrested in Louisiana: 19-year-old Kaden Anderson of Clinton, along with Zavier Augustine, Christian Johnson, and Zychavion VanNorman. All four are accused of involvement in the July 4 shooting.
At the same time, the U.S. Marshals Service arrested 23-year-old Larry Smith Jr. at an apartment complex on Burnham Drive in Columbus, Ohio. Investigators said Smith had fled Mississippi following the shooting. After learning of his whereabouts, the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force coordinated with the Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (SOFAST) and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team to execute the arrest.
Smith is currently being held in the Franklin County Jail while awaiting extradition to Mississippi. He faces multiple felony charges, including two counts of murder, seven counts of felonious assault, and 10 counts of drive-by shooting.
The shooting occurred shortly before 1 a.m. on July 4 near the Orchard Cafe along Highway 24 in Centreville. Deputies received a report at approximately 12:55 a.m. that several gunshot victims were being transported to a hospital in private vehicles.
Two victims, identified as 19-year-old Dekevion Andrews and 22-year-old Donavan Jackson, later died from their injuries. Three additional victims were airlifted to an out-of-area trauma center, while four others were treated and released. Authorities said the victims ranged in age from 14 to 20 years old.
The investigation has been led by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation in partnership with the Wilkinson County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities said the investigation resulted in arrest warrants that were executed during Wednesday’s multi-state operation.
All suspects are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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