Man shoots, injures 3 siblings following argument, one being a Port Allen pastor; 2 arrested

All three victims were transported to a local hospital where two of them have since been released.
Published: May. 23, 2023 at 9:10 PM CDT

PONCHATOULA, La. (WAFB) - An argument between siblings in Ponchatoula leaves three injured, with one in critical condition, according to the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office.

TPSO Chief Jimmy Travis stated that deputies responded to a shooting at the Toula Oaks Trailer Parker off South Range Road around 11 a.m. on Tuesday, May 23. He added that when deputies arrived, they discovered that Casey Hallford, 31, had shot and injured three of his siblings before fleeing into the woods with Arianni Williams, 19.

Of the three siblings that were shot, the office of Holy Family Catholic Church in Port Allen says that Casey Hallford’s bother, Ryan Hallford, is their former pastor and that he is “on life support” in an ICU. Ryan is also the current Executive Director of Mission Integration at St. Joseph’s Academy in Baton Rouge, according to the school’s website.

Casey Hallford(Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office)
Arianni Williams(Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office)

Deputies, along with a K9 search team, were able to locate the two and they were taken into custody without incident, according to officials.

TPSO stated an investigation revealed that Hallford had an argument with the siblings, grabbed a gun from his bedroom, and shot one of his siblings. The other two fled their bedrooms before Hallford sought them out and shot them and then fled the scene, the sheriff’s office added.

All three victims were taken to the hospital where two of them have since been released. The third victim remains in critical condition.

Chief Travis said Hallford has been charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder and one count of illegal discharge of a weapon, while Williams has been charged with three counts of principle to attempted first-degree murder.

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