Man Held After 2 Are Killed, 3 Wounded in Rampage

A man armed with a rifle killed his girlfriend and a neighbor and critically wounded the neighbor’s wife Tuesday, then abducted his girlfriend’s child and shot two other people in a two-county rampage before he was shot by police officers, authorities said.

Investigators said Lee Alvis Allen, 41, of Ashland, accompanied by the 2-year-old boy he abducted, was transferred to North Mississippi Medical Center with a gunshot wound in the arm. The boy was later turned over to welfare officials.

Lt. Kenneth Dickerson of the Mississippi Highway Patrol said Benton County authorities were holding the 6-year-old daughter of Linda Bullard, who was killed at the start of the rampage, in “hopes she can shed some light on this thing. Right now we don’t have a motive.”

Dickerson said the incident began at Bullard’s home about 8 miles east of Ashland and ended with Allen’s capture about 50 miles away in Corinth.

Neighbor’s Wife Wounded

Allen allegedly killed Bullard, who was described by Dickerson as a woman friend, then shot to death Bullard’s neighbor, Ralph Broad, about 60. Broad’s wife, Elizabeth, was wounded.

After the shooting, Dickerson said, Allen put Bullard’s son in the car and drove toward Corinth. When he arrived, he allegedly pulled up behind a vehicle driven by Steve Howell, pastor of Farmington Baptist Church, and asked directions. When Howell was unable to give him proper directions, witnesses said, Allen pulled a .22-caliber rifle and shot the pastor in the shoulder.

Witnesses said Allen then fired several shots into a nearby store before driving to the end of the block, where he allegedly stopped his car, got out with the rifle and shot Ginger Lee Farley, 53.

During a chase that ensued, Allen fired shots at pursuing police officers, who shot back. Allen, who was hit in the arm, stopped near Corinth High School and was arrested without further incident.