Marksville, Louisiana Police Officer Derrick W. Stafford (at left) and Alexandria City Marshal Norris J. Greenhouse Jr. were charged with second degree murder and attempted second degree murder in a shooting that left a six-year-old boy dead and his father in critical condition. Photo from Louisiana State Police

MARKSVILLE, La., Nov. 7 (UPI) -- Two Louisiana police officers were arrested on murder charges in a shooting that left a 6-year-old autistic boy dead and his father critically wounded.

Derrick Stafford, 32, and Norris Greenhouse Jr., 23, are both facing charges of second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder. The boy, Jeremy Mardis, and his father Chris Few, 25, were shot multiple times when police opened fire at the vehicle Few was driving during a pursuit in Marksville, a small town about 30 miles from Alexandria, La. Mardis was the front-seat passenger in his father's vehicle and was shot five times in the head and chest. The first-grader died at the scene.


Louisiana State Police superintendent Col. Michael Edmonson said the body cameras the officers were wearing during the shooting helped lead to the arrest.

"I can tell you, as a father, it was one of the most disturbing things I've witnessed," Edmonson said. "Extremely disturbing, and it is partly why we are here tonight."

Police have released few details about the events that led up to the Tuesday night shooting, except to say the officers were pursuing a warrant.

They said four officers in total were involved in the incident. It is unclear if the other two Marksville officers, Lt. Jason Brouillette and Sgt. Kenneth Parnell, will be facing charges.

Stafford, Brouillette and Parnell are full-time Marksville police officers. Greenhouse is a reserve Marksville officer and a deputy marshal with the Alexandria City Marshal's Office. All have been placed on administrative leave.