Two Louisiana marshals who shot dead a 6-year-old and wounded the child's father after a brief pursuit were indicted on murder charges Thursday by a grand jury, CNN reports.
Derrick Stafford, 32, and Norris Greenhouse Jr., 23, were indicted on charges of second-degree murder and second-degree attempted murder for the Nov. 3 shooting that left 6-year-old Jeremy Mardis dead and seriously injured the child's father, Christopher Few.
"Today's indictments will allow the state to move forward in the process of seeking justice for Jeremy Mardis and to hold accountable those who are responsible for his death," Louisiana Attorney General James Caldwell said after the hearing, CNN reports.
Little Jeremy was buckled into the front passenger seat of his father's car when he was killed. The marshals were chasing Few after the father had an argument with his girlfriend in front of a local bar, CNN notes, claiming that they had witnessed "domestic abuse." The brief chase ended in gunfire, with the marshals firing at least 18 rounds. According to the report, investigators found no outstanding warrants against Few, and no weapons were found in his vehicle.
"I've been a police officer for 35 years, but as a father—much less as a state police—it was a disturbing, disturbing video that I watched, and that really helped move us forward," state Police Col. Michael Edmonson said last month after reviewing footage.
As for Jeremy's grandmother Cathy Mardis, she is relieved over the news of the indictment. "It's been pure hell," she told CNN affiliate WBRZ. "My heart exploded with happiness. It's kind of bittersweet to hear it read out loud. It just confirmed what was going on. But then we got what we wanted. We can't get Jeremy back, but we got what we wanted."