Watch FIFA World Cup 2026™

LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE

Gunman on run after killing 5 in US

An "armed and dangerous" young man is on the loose in Louisiana after allegedly gunning down five people, including his parents, his girlfriend and her family.

Police tape seals off an area
Five people have been killed in the United States with the gunman still on the run Source: Getty Images

Authorities in Louisiana are searching for an "armed and dangerous" 21-year-old accused of killing his parents and three others in two separate but related shootings.

Authorities say Dakota Theriot first shot and killed his girlfriend, her brother and her father in Livingston Parish before taking her father's truck, driving to neighbouring Ascension Parish where he shot and killed his parents.

"We are totally focused on finding him. We're following every lead that we come up with," said Livingston Parish Sheriff Jason Ard.

Theriot was being sought on first-degree murder and other charges. He was believed to be driving a stolen 2004 Dodge Ram pickup, gray and silver in colour.

Authorities have identified the victims in Livingston Parish as Billy Ernest, 43; Tanner Ernest, 17; and Summer Ernest, 20.

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Ard said Summer Ernest and Dakota Theriot were in a relationship and that Theriot had been living with her family for a few weeks.

Authorities earlier identified the other two victims as Theriot's parents - Keith and Elizabeth Theriot, both 50.

They were shot in their trailer on Saturday morning.

"The father was gravely injured at the time we found him and has since passed away," said Ascension Parish Sheriff Bobby Webre.

But before he died, Webre said authorities were able to get a "dying declaration from him, and only enough information to let us know that it was his son that committed this act".

Ard said Dakota Theriot is believed to be armed with at least one handgun.

"We do not have a motive. It is still undetermined," Ard said.

Crystal DeYoung, Billy Ernest's sister, said she wasn't sure how her niece Summer and Theriot met, but that she believed the relationship was relatively new.

"My family met him last weekend at a birthday party and didn't get good vibes from him," DeYoung said.

"My mom is a good judge of character and she just thought he was not good," DeYoung said of Theriot.

There were also two young children in the home at the time. DeYoung said a 7-year-old took the baby out of the house and went to a neighbour's.

DeYoung said her brother, niece and nephew were good people.

"They all had very good hearts. They trusted people too much," she said, as she began crying. "They all loved unconditionally."

A Facebook page appearing to belong to Dakota Theriot was filled with defensive and sometimes angry posts.

He shared someone else's post in June that said "wish i could clear my mind jus for one day" (sic) with a sad face emoji.

In May, he reposted something saying, "If you have a problem with me, tell me. Not everyone else."

He also shared someone else's post that said, "I don't care what people say about me I know who I am and I don't have to prove anything to anyone."

Webre said Dakota had lived with his parents briefly but was asked to leave the residence and not return.


3 min read

Published

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world