No arrest in R’land I-55 shooting

RIDGELAND — A suspect in the fatal shooting death of a juvenile driving southbound on I-55 in front the the Renaissance Saturday afternoon is still being sought, the authorities said.

The victim was identified as Lakendric Cortez Francis, 16, a junior at Canton High School, according to Ridgeland Police.

A Facebook post by the Canton Public School District on Monday offered condolences.

“The Canton Public School District mourns the heartbreaking, tragic loss of LaKendric Francis who was a junior at Canton High School. We send our heartfelt sympathy and sincere condolences to his family and friends. 

“Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. His beautiful spirit will forever live on in the hearts and minds of the countless lives he touched,” their statement reads in part.”

Ridgeland Police Lt. Brian Myers said Wednesday that authorities are still investigating the Saturday afternoon incident.

“Things are moving forward,” Myers said. “I have watched our detectives work extremely hard on this case and we hope to have more information we can release soon.”

Myers said all the shooting occurred on I-55, and they do not currently know the origin of the incident. 

He said that reports that the incident started in Canton are “all speculation” and that he did not believe the incident to be due to road rage.

The shooting incident happened when a vehicle, a black four-door Infiniti sedan traveling southbound, was shot into on I-55 as it passed through Ridgeland.

Myers said the driver, Francis, was deceased on the scene and that an adult passenger was sent to the hospital with minor injuries and released the same day.

The vehicle came to rest just in front of the Hyatt Place on I-55, Myers said. He said the call came in at 1:47 p.m. Sunday.

Myers said no damage to other vehicles or injuries were reported.

RPD is not currently releasing any information on a potential suspect or suspect vehicle.

The CHS Facebook post included information for students touched by the incident to seek counseling through the school.