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Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

PONCHATOULA, La. (WGNO) — A Ponchatoula man and woman are behind bars after a family dispute reportedly turned violent, sending three people to a hospital.

Deputies with the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office said that just after 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 23, a call came in reporting about 15 shots heard in the area and that a man was seen laying on the ground.

Tangipahoa deputies arrived at the Toula Oaks Trailer Park on South Range Road where they learned 31-year-old Casey Hallford allegedly shot all three of his sibling before running into the woods with 19-year-old Arianni Williams. A search began and with the help of a K-9 unit, the two were located and arrested.

Investigations revealed the shooting was the result of an argument between the siblings. During the incident, Hallford reportedly went to his room, got a gun, and shot one of the siblings. While the other two ran to their bedrooms, he found and shot both of them before leaving the scene.

They were all taken to the hospital where two of the three were treated and released. The third remains hospitalized in critical condition.

Casey Hallford faces three counts of attempted first-degree murder and illegal discharge of a weapon.

Arianni Williams was charged with three counts of principle to attempted first-degree murder.

Further investigation into the incident revealed the victim listed in critical condition is Ryan Hallford, a well-known pastor at St. Joseph’s Academy in Baton Rouge. In an email to parents, school officials asked for prayers of healing:

Dear Parents,

We are writing to ask for your prayers for our SJA colleague, Ryan Hallford, who was involved in a family dispute that resulted in him being injured by gunfire. Ryan, who serves as SJA’s executive director of mission integration, is currently in the hospital in stable condition and has undergone at least one surgical procedure. Additional surgeries are likely in the coming days, but Ryan is expected to survive his injuries. We ask that each family hold our colleague in their thoughts and prayers over the coming weeks and months as he faces emotional and physical healing.
Thank you,

Principal Stacia Andricain and President Jan Breen

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