A 10-year-old boy fatally shot the 82-year-old former mayor of a north-west Louisiana town, according to authorities.

The Minden police chief, Jared McIver, told local news outlets that the boy admitted to investigators that he shot and killed Joe Cornelius Sr, 82, and his daughter, Keisha Miles, 31. The bodies of both were found Sunday morning with multiple bullet wounds.

Officials did not immediately say how the boy, who was arrested, was related to Cornelius and Miles. Neighbors told KSLA-TV that they heard Cornelius and the boy arguing – possibly over credit card charges for video games – and later heard multiple gunshots. But authorities have said any potential motive in the case remained under investigation.

Cornelius long served as a member of the Minden city council. After the city’s mayor died, Cornelius was appointed to serve as interim mayor in 2013.

He was also a former sheriff’s deputy as well as marshal, and he was a prominent leader of the city’s Black community. Additionally, he was a former funeral home worker, ran youth programs and helped launch local Black history observations.

In a statement, the Minden mayor, Nick Cox, said: “Joe Cornelius’s years of service … were marked by his commitment and dedication to the betterment of our community. On a personal note, I am grateful for his friendship and the many ways he supported me and others in our city.”

The Associated Press contributed reporting

A 10-year-old boy is in custody after he confessed to fatally shooting a former Louisiana mayor and his adult daughter, a police official said Monday.

Joe Cornelius Sr., 82, and Keisha Miles, 31, were found dead Sunday morning after officers were dispatched to the former official’s home in Minden, a city of nearly 12,000 east of Shreveport, the city’s police chief said.

Police Chief Jared McIver identified the boy as a relative of Cornelius’ but declined to provide additional details and said authorities have not determined a possible motive.

“Our city is in shock,” McIver said. “How does a 10-year-old commit something so malicious?”

The boy is being held on two counts of first-degree murder, McIver said. He said it was unclear whether the child has a lawyer to speak on his behalf.

The bodies of Cornelius and Miles were found with multiple gunshot wounds, said McIver, who said that two handguns were used and that their magazines were emptied.

A 6-year-old child who was at the home at the time of the shooting was not injured, McIver said.

The older boy initially provided a different account of the deaths but by Sunday afternoon had confessed to the shooting, McIver said. 

His grandmother was with him at the time of the confession, McIver said.

Cornelius was a well-known community activist, City Council member and deputy ward marshal for the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office, NBC affiliate KTAL of Shreveport reported.

In 2013, while on the City Council, Cornelius was appointed interim mayor after the mayor died in office, the station reported.

In a statement Sunday, Minden Mayor Nick Cox said he was grateful for Cornelius’ friendship and “the many ways he supported me and others in our city.”

“Joe Cornelius’s years of service to Minden were marked by his commitment and dedication to the betterment of our community,” Cox said, adding: “Let us come together as a community to honor Joe’s memory and support one another through this time of grief.”

Investigators in Ragley, Louisiana, are probing the cause of a devastating explosion that obliterated a home, killing a teenage boy from Alabama and injuring five others. The incident, which occurred Saturday morning, left the house in ruins and damaged nearby properties, including vehicles and a metal outbuilding.

The victim, Deuce Barrere, 16, of Theodore, Alabama, was a high school cheerleader whose friends memorialized him on Dauphin Island on Sunday. His older sister and mother were hospitalized, while a toddler in the home escaped injury and is being cared for by family. Louisiana State Fire Marshal Bryan J. Adams called it “an unimaginable tragedy for this family and community.”

Neighbors reported the explosion felt like an earthquake, causing power outages and knocking items off shelves in nearby homes. Ragley is approximately 20 miles north of Lake Charles. In a statement, Barrere’s girlfriend, Adalynn Hall, described his caring nature, saying, “When I was upset, he always made sure it was good before I left.” (This story was generated by Newser’s AI chatbot. Source: the AP)