Martha Odom, a 16-year-old high school senior, was shot and killed during an exchange of gunfire in the food court at the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge on Thursday afternoon. According to the coroner's office, she died from a gunshot wound to the chest.
The shooting left five others wounded. Police have arrested five people in connection with the violence. The incident drew a statement from Louisiana's attorney general, Liz Murrill, who described herself as a friend of the Odom family. "Martha had her whole life in front of her," Murrill said. "Those responsible for this senseless violence must face the full force of the law."
Odom was one of three seniors from Ascension Episcopal School caught in the crossfire. At least five students from the school were present at the mall during what the Advocate reported was an unofficial senior skip day as graduation approaches.
The school released a statement Friday saying Martha's classmates would remember her as "a joyful presence whose kindness and infectious enthusiasm brought light to all who knew her." The statement added: "Ascension Episcopal School carries this cross together. We are holding one another close with an immense amount of faith and love."
The Baton Rouge shooting comes less than a week after another mass shooting in Louisiana killed eight children in Shreveport. That incident, which authorities called a domestic violence situation, was carried out by a man who killed seven of his own children and three others fathered with different women. Two adults were also wounded in that shooting. The gunman died after carjacking a vehicle, though authorities have not clarified whether he died by suicide or was shot by police.
Through Friday, the Gun Violence Archive had recorded at least 122 mass shootings in the United States so far this year. The archive, a non-partisan tracking resource, defines mass shootings as incidents in which four or more people are wounded or killed by gunfire.
Gun violence remains the leading cause of death for teenagers and children in America, according to research. The frequency of mass shootings has prompted persistent calls from advocates for stricter federal gun control measures, but Congress has not enacted substantial new legislation to address the issue.
Author James Rodriguez: "Two mass shootings in one week, both claiming innocent lives in Louisiana. This is not statistics anymore, it's a crisis that demands action."
Comments