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28th May 2017

Shooting rampage leaves 8 dead – including two children and a policeman

Gillian Fitzpatrick

A shocking shooting spree in the US has left eight people dead – including two boys and a sheriff’s deputy.

The incident took place in Mississippi and the suspect has been apprehended by police, according to local reports.

Mississippi Bureau Of Investigation spokesman said the shootings occurred at three separate homes on Saturday night in rural Lincoln County, located around 100km south from the State capital of Jackson.

Cory Godbolt, 35, is now in custody and was videoed around the time of his arrest by reporter Therese Apel. He can be seen in the resulting footage stating: “I ain’t fit to live, not after what I done.”

Authorities in Mississippi said it was too early to discuss a motive for the attacks. Guardian.com reports that two children – boys – are among the eight dead.

The dead sheriff’s deputy has been named as William Durr. In the aftermath, Mississippi governor Phil Bryant issued a statement acknowledging the sacrifices made by law enforcement.

“Every day, the men and women who wear the badge make some measure of sacrifice to protect and serve their communities,” he said.

“Too often, we lose one of our finest. I thank the law enforcement agencies involved for their hard work.”