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Daricka Moore: Mississippi shooting suspect's first photo surfaces; scary update on motive

Daricka Moore was identified as the suspect who fatally shot six people at different locations in West Point, Mississippi, on Friday night

Updated on: Jan 11, 2026, 01:41:27 IST
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Daricka Moore was identified as the suspect who fatally shot six people at different locations in West Point, Mississippi, on Friday night. Police captured the 24-year-old at the scene and booked him into the Clay County jail before dawn Saturday.

Daricka Moore was identified as the Mississippi shooting suspect (X and Bloomberg)
Daricka Moore was identified as the Mississippi shooting suspect (X and Bloomberg)

Now, Moore's mugshot has surfaced.

Police give update on Daricka Moore's motive

Moore shot six people, including a child, in a series of attacks across three separate locations in the rural Cedarbluff community of northeast Mississippi, west of West Point in Clay County.

Sheriff's Deputy Steven Woodruff identified the suspect on Saturday. He currently faces a first-degree murder charge that could be upgraded to capital murder, and authorities indicated he may face additional murder counts.

Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott confirmed the victims were family members related to the suspect. One of the victims was a 7-year-old child.

At a press conference on Saturday, Sheriff Scott expressed dismay over the incident, stating: “I don’t know what kind of motive you could have to kill a 7-year-old.”

"This guy (the suspect) wasn’t our radar,” Scott said. “This is family members that he went after.”

Online court records in Clay County show Moore has no previous criminal charges.

“A situation like this, you’ve got a family member attacking their own family,” Scott said. “Whatever the reason is, we’re hoping that we’ll find out.”

Scott said investigators believe Moore placed a gun to the head of a younger child at the home where the 7-year-old died. Investigators aren’t sure whether the gun misfired. A third young child and their mother was present in that house as well.

The 7-year-old victim was Moore’s second cousin, Scott said. Investigators hope to have more information and upgraded charges by the time Moore appears before a judge. An initial appearance is scheduled for Monday.

Scott said no other injuries have been reported beyond the six deaths. Police further added that evidence and witnesses indicate Moore was the only shooter.

(With AP inputs)

  • Yash Nitish Bajaj
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    Yash Nitish Bajaj

    Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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