Louisiana shooting leaves 5 dead; suspect at large

Dakota Theriot, 21, is wanted in Louisiana for the fatal shootings of five people on Saturday morning. The suspect allegedly opened fire on a family of three before gunning down his own parents across two Louisiana neighborhoods outside of Baton Rouge

The five people killed after a 21-year-old shot dead his parents and three other people across two Louisiana neighborhoods have been pictured. 

Police say suspected gunman Dakota Theriot is still at large hours after the shooting spree on Saturday morning.  

The suspect allegedly opened fire on Billy Ernest, 43, Tanner Ernest, 17, and Summer Ernest, 20, in Livingston Parish before fatally shooting his parents Elizabeth Theriot, 50, and Keith Theriot, 50, at their home in Ascension Parish, east of Baton Rouge, shortly before 9am.

A motive in the killings has not been revealed, but authorities believe it was a ‘boyfriend [and] girlfriend type of dispute’, according to WAFB. 

‘He lived there with the mom and dad for a little while, but was recently asked to leave with some disagreements,’ Ascension Sheriff Bobby Webre said. ‘But no idea why he would do anything like this.’ 

‘This is probably one of the worst domestic violence [incidents] I’ve seen in quite a while. For a young man to walk into a bedroom and kill his mother and his father, and then kill friends in Livingston that he had a connection with.’

Theriot is wanted for at least two counts of first-degree murder, illegal use of a weapon, and home invasion in connection to both shootings.

He has yet to be charged in Livingston.  

Authorities say Dakota Theriot shot his parents Keith Theriot, 50, and Elizabeth Theriot, 50, at their home in Ascension Parish around 9am Saturday morning 

Authorities say Dakota Theriot shot his parents Keith Theriot, 50, and Elizabeth Theriot, 50, at their home in Ascension Parish around 9am Saturday morning 

Before shooting his parents, Theriot allegedly shot dead Summer Ernest, 20, (above) and two of her family members. Facebook indicates that Theriot and Summer Ernest were friends

Before shooting his parents, Theriot allegedly shot dead Summer Ernest, 20, (above) and two of her family members. Facebook indicates that Theriot and Summer Ernest were friends

Summer Ernest's 17-year-old brother Tanner (above) and her father Billy, 43, were shot and killed

Billy Ernest is pictured

Summer Ernest’s 17-year-old brother Tanner and her father Billy, 43, were shot and killed

Facebook indicates that Theriot and Summer Ernest were friends. Ernest even liked a few of Theriot’s last posts before the killings.  

According to the Ernests’ neighbor, two of the family’s youngest children came to her home on Saturday morning looking for help. 

‘It’s so heartbreaking,’ Charlenne Bordelon explained to the Advocate, adding that the children were under the age of eight and in the home at the time of the killings.

Authorities describe the suspect as ‘armed and dangerous’. 

They think he may be heading towards Mississippi in a 2004 Dodge Ram pickup truck with license plate number C583809. 

It is described as being grey on the top and silver on the bottom.  

Authorities described Theriot as 'armed and dangerous'. His motive in the fatal shootings has not been revealed

Authorities described Theriot as ‘armed and dangerous’. His motive in the fatal shootings has not been revealed

The mobile home where Theriot allegedly killed his parents is pictured above. A neighbor said he had recently heard a number of arguments at the home 

The mobile home where Theriot allegedly killed his parents is pictured above. A neighbor said he had recently heard a number of arguments at the home 

Investigators are pictured at the scene of Keith and Elizabeth Theriot's murders

Investigators are pictured at the scene of Keith and Elizabeth Theriot’s murders

Police have said they think the suspect may be heading towards Mississippi in a 2004 Dodge Ram pickup truck with license plate number C583809 (above)

Police have said they think the suspect may be heading towards Mississippi in a 2004 Dodge Ram pickup truck with license plate number C583809 (above)

Michael Logan, who lives next door to the mobile home where the Theriots were killed, told The Advocate he heard an ambulance Saturday morning and looked outside to see the mayhem as police arrived. 

Deputies later searched a barn behind his house to see if the gunman was hiding there, Logan said.

The neighbor said that he didn’t know the Theriot family very well and had only had a couple casual conversations with them when they saw one another outside.  

Logan also noted that he’d overheard several arguments at the home lately.  

‘There’s been a lot of yelling matches,’ usually at night, he said.

He said he was shocked to learn of the grisly double-homicide that took place right next door, adding that ‘nothing crazy like this’ happens in the area.

‘Any time you hear of a shooting this close to home, it’s never good. It never gives you a good feeling,’ he said.

Authorities have asked anyone with information regarding shootings or Theriot’s whereabouts to call the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office at (225) 686-2241 ext. 1 or Crime Stoppers at (225) 344-7867.

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk