RIDGELAND, MS – A devastating incident unfolded in Ridgeland, Mississippi. A man who was accused of killing his mother and two sisters died during an altercation with Arizona State troopers. The man, identified as Ivory James Welch III, fled to Arizona after shooting his mother and sister to death.
Ridgeland Police Chief Brian Myers said that immediately after identifying Welch as the suspect in the triple homicide, police obtained an arrest warrant and enlisted the help of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force.
When Arizona State Troopers attempted to apprehend Welch, he opened fire. This exchange of gunfire resulted in a deadly shootout.
The initial investigation began Sunday afternoon when the Ridgeland police responded to a shooting at a residence on the 7100 block of Old Canton Road. The victims were identified as Ida Thomas Welch, 76, Vicky Renee Welch, 56, and Crystal Lynn Welch, 42.
Crystal Welch, an associate clinical professor at Mississippi College School of Law and board president of the ACLU of Mississippi, was remembered as a dedicated attorney who impacted numerous lives. Specifically, her contribution to adoption cases made a significant impact in the lives of a large number of families.
The cause of the shootings is yet to be determined by police.