Teen Accused in Louisiana Mall Shooting Arrested After Grandmother Identifies Him in Surveillance Image

A 17-year-old accused of murder in a mass shooting at a Louisiana mall that left a high school senior dead and five others wounded received a ride from the scene from his grandmother before being arrested, authorities allege.

Markel Lee, 17, was taken into custody on charges of first-degree murder, five counts of attempted first-degree murder, and one count of illegal use of a weapon following the shooting at the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge on Thursday afternoon, according to Baton Rouge police.

The shooting occurred just before 1:30 p.m. In the food court area of the mall and involved two groups of young people who had gotten into a disagreement, authorities said. Martha Odom, a 17-year-old senior at Ascension Episcopal School in Lafayette, was struck in the chest and killed. Five others were wounded, including two of Odom’s fellow seniors and a 43-year-old man who was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

Surveillance video recovered by police showed two groups approaching each other in the food court before the gunfire erupted. A police officer assigned to the mall and an East Baton Rouge sheriff’s deputy in the parking lot immediately responded after shots were fired.