WM Motel 6 shooter in custody

WM Motel 6 shooter in custody

Apparent ‘ drug deal gone bad’ leaves one man dead

news@theeveningtimes.com

Shots echoed in the parking court at Motel 6 on East Service Road at 5:00 p.m.

Wednesday night in West Memphis. The suspect fled in a black sedan but not before leaving one person dead. Police initially indicated the shooter was not wearing a shirt revealing he may have been injured too.

It turned out to be the right information.

Roderick Parrish, age 27, was arrested for the homicide and is in custody at Regional One awaiting extradition to West Memphis upon his release.

West Memphis Police Department Enforcement and Criminal Investigation Commander, Captain Joe Baker announced the apparent motive in the homicide.

“The incident appears to be a drug deal gone bad,” said Baker.

Parrish is on parole for another shooting and has a lengthy criminal history.

The gunplay at the motel is just a part of an alarming trend in the mid south. The Motel 6 shooting was next door to an armed robbery two weeks ago at the America’s Best Value Inn that ended in police gunning down an armed career criminal Olugbalah Ridley after he fled on foot to the Steeple Chase apartments.

Two other hotel shootings occurred Wednesday in the mid south with one of those resulting in murder too.

In all four people were shot Wednesday and two killed at motels in the two state area.

By John Rech