The suspect in a double murder earlier this week and another shooting this summer is now believed to be behind a shooting threat at Laurel High School.
Anyone with information on Ronald Buckley's whereabouts is asked to call Laurel Police Department at 601-399-4440 or Crime Stoppers at 601-428-STOP.
On Thursday, Laurel High School officials were notified of a possible threat that is under investigation. And though school officials did not announce the identity of the suspect, it is believed that it was Ronald Buckley, who is wanted on two counts of murder and one count of aggravated assault after firing multiple shots into a Dodge Challenger that was parked at Loper’s Laundry at midday Monday, killing 19-year-old Mary Ann Collins and 22-year-old Travion Barnett and fleeing the scene on foot. An unidentified 18-year-old passenger suffered a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the leg, but two babies who were in the vehicle were not injured, investigators with the Laurel Police Department reported.
School officials took precautions and have increased security during dismissal and canceled after-school practices. Safety and security are the top priority of the Laurel School District, officials said, and they thanked the Laurel Police Department for helping protect students. Neither school nor police officials offered specifics about the nature of the threats or how they were made.
“We always cooperate with the school,” LPD Chief Tommy Cox said. “No matter how small the threat might be, the kids’ safety is our top priority. We have officers up there, and we are taking every precaution that we can to protect everyone involved. After the shooting happened, I called the head of school security myself, and they went into precaution and have since to protect everyone.”
Buckley knew the victims who were shot on Monday, investigators said, but they did not offer details about their connection. They did, however, say that the number of shots fired was “consistent with a crime of passions.” It appeared that the car was parked and the occupants were waiting on someone at the time of the shooting, witnesses told police.
Buckley was already wanted for aggravated assault in a shooting that occurred in the 1200 block of North 4th Avenue back in June. The victim was shot seven times but survived after LPD officers reportedly applied a tourniquet to his leg before medics from EMServ Ambulance arrived and transported him to South Central Regional Medical Center.
The LPD has searched several residences in Laurel and Ellisville, following up on tips, but had not tracked him down as of early Friday afternoon.. They have requested assistance from U.S. Marshals.
“With everyone out there looking for him, and with the help of the U.S. Marshals fugitive task force, it’s only a matter of time until we are going to be able to track him down,” Cox said. “We think he has left our jurisdiction, but we are still staying aware in case of a threat.”
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