A 17-year-old high school senior who was weeks away from graduation was killed after getting caught in the crossfire of a targeted shooting at the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge on Thursday, Apr. 23, 2026.
Baton Rouge police have since arrested a suspect in connection with the deadly incident. On Friday, Apr. 24, Markel Lee, 17, turned himself in to authorities and was charged with first-degree murder, five counts of attempted first-degree murder, and one count of illegal use of a firearm, according to Baton Rouge Police Chief T.J. Morse.
Lee is being held at East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. Police said they are still searching for a second suspect and are asking the public for any information that may assist the investigation, according to People.
The victim has been identified as Martha Odom, a senior at Ascension Episcopal School in Lafayette, Louisiana, approximately 60 miles west of Baton Rouge. Odom was at the mall with friends for "senior skip day," as her graduation was only three weeks away.
She had been accepted to the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, where she planned to study English and creative writing.
According to police, the shooting broke out at approximately 1:22 p.m. inside the mall's food court after an argument between two groups escalated into gunfire.
Chief Morse described it as a targeted incident rather than a random act of violence, telling reporters: "When those weapons were brandished, and shots were fired, we, unfortunately, had innocent individuals caught in the crossfire." Investigators believe the dispute was tied to gang rivalries and social media conflicts.
Six people were shot in total. Besides Odom, five others were injured, including a 43-year-old man named Donnie Guillory, who remained hospitalized in critical condition as of Friday. Two of Odom's classmates from Ascension Episcopal School were also wounded in the attack, while two others from the school were present as witnesses.
Odom was described by her school as "a joyful presence whose kindness and infectious enthusiasm brought light to all who knew her." She was the captain of the girls' soccer team and served as an editor for her school's student newspaper, CBS News reported.
In 2025, she won first place in the Lafayette Public Library's "Writes of Spring" creative writing competition. Outside of school, she taught dance to five- and six-year-olds and had been accepted into Ballet Austin's Summer Intensive program.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry called the shooting a "deeply troubling act of violence" and said it appeared to be driven by "neighborhood gang disputes that seem to want to spill out in our public places, putting innocent people in danger."
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, who said she has a personal connection to the Odom family, called on those responsible to "face the full force of the law."
The Mall of Louisiana, the largest shopping center in the state, was closed on Friday out of respect for the victims. The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives also responded to the scene and are assisting with the investigation, as per CNN.
Originally published on Lawyer Herald
