Police believe 2 slayings in La. are likely racially motivated

BATON ROUGE, La. — The slayings of two black men in Baton Rouge last week were likely racially motivated, police said Sunday, and a suspect — a 23-year-old white man — was in custody. In both shootings the gunman fired from his car then walked up to the victims as they were lying on the ground and fired again multiple times.

The suspect, Kenneth Gleason, was being held on drug charges. Authorities didn’t immediately have enough evidence to arrest him on charges related to the killings, but the investigation was ongoing, Baton Rouge Sgt. L’Jean McKneely said.

“The victims were ambushed,” McKneely said. “There is a strong possibility that it could be racially motivated.”

McKneely said shell casings from the shootings linked the two slayings, and a car belonging to Gleason fit the description of the vehicle used in the killings. He said authorities had collected other circumstantial evidence but he wouldn’t say what it was.

Neither victim had any prior relationship with Gleason.

The shootings happened about 5 miles from each other. The first occurred Tuesday night when 59year-old Bruce Cofield, who was homeless, was shot to death.

The second happened Thursday night when 49year-old Donald Smart was gunned down while walking to his job as a restaurant dishwasher.

Smart’s aunt, Mary Smart, said he had a son and two daughters.

Detectives searched Gleason’s home on Saturday and said they found 9 grams of marijuana and vials of human growth hormone, according to a police document. After Gleason was read his Miranda rights, he claimed ownership of the drugs, the document said.