A Lowndes County boy is dead following a shooting incident at his home Monday morning.
Sheriff Mike Arledge said deputies responded to 1784 Sobley Road, east of Columbus, at about 8 a.m. Monday. They found 4-year-old Brayden Barksdale dead at the scene, according to Lowndes County Coroner Greg Merchant.
Merchant said an autopsy is scheduled to take place this morning in Jackson. The cause of death is believed to be a gunshot wound.
Arledge said no suspects were in custody as of Monday evening, but he would not comment on whether the shooting appeared accidental. He said his department would send evidence to the Mississippi Crime Lab for analysis.
“We’re not ruling out anything at this time,” he said.
Arledge would not release further details Monday morning, including the names of the victim, his parents or the alleged shooter, citing the ongoing investigation.
Authorities arrived Monday morning and blocked the entrance to the home, remaining on scene until at least noon.
Meanwhile, more than a dozen people, most of whom appeared to be family members of the victim, gathered on Sobley Road just beyond the barricade.
Dispatch reporter Isabelle Altman contributed to this report.
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
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