US mass shooting: 6 killed in series of attacks across Mississippi, state with weakest gun laws

Six individuals were shot dead in a remote community in the US state of Mississippi, according to officials.

According to a report by Xinhua News Agency, the sheriff of Tate County, Tennessee, said on Friday that the shooting victims were found in several areas in Arkabutla, a city approximately 50 kilometres south of Memphis.

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves released a statement on the shooting incidents in Tate County on Friday afternoon.

"The individual responsible has been taken into custody alive," Reeves wrote. "At this time, we believe he acted alone. His motive is not yet known."

The governor claims that he has called for help from the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.

With the recent repeal of the permit requirement for concealed carry, three gun-related law remain in place in the state. There are no basic firearms laws in place in this state. Furthermore, its gun homicide rate is the worst in the country.

In spite of being in the top ten for gun ownership per capita, Mississippi does not have any regulations regulating safekeeping, and it requires all public colleges and universities to allow weapons on campus.

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According to the Gun Violence Archive, more than 5,500 people have been killed by firearms in the United States thus far in 2018.

(With inputs from IANS)