Killings of two black men in Louisiana believed to be racially-motivated, police say

Sept. 17 (UPI) -- Police in Baton Rouge, La. said Sunday the murders of two black men in separate incidents over the past week could be racially motivated.

A suspect in the case is Kenneth Gleason, a 23-year-old white man, who police have not formally charged with homicide but arrested on drug charges after they found marijuana and human growth hormone while searching his home. His bond was set at $3,500 for the drug charges and police are still investigating his connection, if any, to the murders.

The victims in the case are Donald Smart, 49, and Bruce Cofield, 59. The two men were killed days apart and had no known connection to each other, but Baton Rouge police discovered that they were killed with the same gun and the shooter approached the victims while driving in a red "small, older sedan with shiny rims" before exiting the vehicle and firing, reported the Advocate.

"We believe [the shootings] could possibly be racially motivated," said Baton Rouge Police Department spokesman Sgt. L'Jean McKneely.

Read more: https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2017/09/17/Killings-of-two-black-men-in-Louisiana-believed-to-be-racially-motivated-police-say/2171505698680/