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Dave Martin / AP
Law enforcement officials use a body sensing device to search a home in Montgomery, Ala., Monday, June 11, 2012. Authorities searching for the man charged with fatally shooting three people near Auburn University swarmed the house Monday where they believe he's hiding, firing tear gas and sending a tactical team on cautious forays inside.
Updated at 5:30 a.m. ET: Authorities in Montgomery left a home early Tuesday where they believed the man charged with fatally shooting three people near Auburn University might have been hiding.
Law enforcement swarmed the scene Monday afternoon and spent hours firing tear gas, using thermal imaging and sending tactical teams on forays inside the house as they searched for Desmonte Leonard. They hadn't brought anyone out of the home by the time they held a briefing just after midnight.
And around 2:25 a.m. (3:25 a.m. ET) Tuesday, an Associated Press photographer on the scene saw all law enforcement agents that had been there leave without comment. It wasn't immediately clear why they left. There was no activity around the house.
Leonard is charged with three counts of capital murder in a shooting Saturday night during a pool party at University Heights apartments. He's also accused of wounding three others. The dead included two former Auburn football players.
Earlier the tactical team searched the lower portions of the house and made deliberate moves into the attic where Leonard was believed to be hiding, Montgomery Public Safety Director Chris Murphy told the AP. The attic is cramped, complicating investigators' efforts.
Montgomery Police Sgt. Regina Duckett said coughing and movement was heard inside.
"We are having to slowly put our people up there and do an inch-by-inch search," Murphy said during a briefing several hours after police surrounded the house.
Police had hoped to flush out the person with tear gas and verbal commands, but sent in the tactical team after getting no response.
"This is a pretty driven person. He's got nothing to lose," Murphy said. "You cannot rush it."
Murphy said investigators believe he's likely covered in insulation and suffering effects from the tear gas.
Dave Martin / AP
Police officers with automatic weapons stand outside a home in Montgomery, Ala. on Monday. They believe the man suspected in the Auburn shootings entered the home.
"He's got to be in a lot of pain," he said.
On Monday, police received two 911 calls that Leonard had entered the house but did not have "unequivocal confirmation," said Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange.
"Whoever is in there doesn't want to come out," Strange said.
'Massacre for no reason'
Police have arrested two men in connection with the shooting: Jeremy Thomas, 18, is being questioned for hindering prosecution, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported, and Gabriel Thomas, 41, was arrested late Sunday for allegedly providing false information to police.
Auburn Police Chief Tommy Dawson said nine police agencies are involved in the search for Leonard.
The shooting occurred before midnight on Saturday at the University Heights apartments, a large complex near campus favored by Auburn University's students and athletes.
Leonard is suspected of pulling a gun after a fight broke out, shooting six, Dawson said at a news conference on Sunday. He apparently fled in a white Chevrolet Caprice, which he later ditched.
Todd J. Van Emst / Auburn University via AP file
Edward Christian, 20, left, an Auburn University student and former football player, was fatally shot at a pool party about two miles from the university on Saturday night. Eric Mack, 20, center, was treated and released; Ladarious Phillips, 20, a student and former offensive fullback for the football team, was also killed.
Montgomery police had previously arrested Leonard in 2008 for carrying a gun without a license, according to court documents obtained by The Associated Press.
When police arrived at the scene, Edward Christian, 20, was found dead on the sidewalk. Christian was a student and former offensive lineman for the Auburn Tigers football team.
Ladarious Phillips and DeMario Pitts, both 20, were transported to the hospital, where they later died. Phillips was a student and former backup fullback who gave up football in April, according to his coach. Pitts lived in Auburn.
Three young men, including two students, were killed and three others wounded in a Saturday night shooting in Auburn, Ala. A manhunt was underway for the suspect. NBC's Mark Potter reports.
Turquorius Vines, who was at the party, told the Journal-Constitution the fight erupted because of a girl.
The night, he said, "went from us chilling with all these females to a massacre for no reason at all. It happened so quick, in about a second."
For Vines, the shooting has left him reeling.
"It's like I lost a lung," he said. "I don't know how I'm going to survive this."
Among the wounded, John Robertson, 20, remained in critical condition on Monday after being shot in the head. Xavier Moss, 19, was released from the hospital after the shooting. Eric Mack, 20, an offensive lineman who was shot in the buttocks, was released late Sunday afternoon.
Mack is a junior offensive lineman from St. Matthews, S.C. He played in five games last season. Coach Gene Chizik said on Sunday that Mack was expected to make a full recovery.
Police Chief Tommy Dawson said he believed the shooting was "a fight that obviously got out of hand."
The shooting has shaken Auburn, a city of 53,000 that revolves around the football team. The Auburn Tigers have won two national championships, most recently in 2011 against the University of Oregon. Cam Newton, a quarterback, won the coveted Heisman Trophy that year.
The Associated Press and msnbc.com's Isolde Raftery, Mark Stevenson and Marian Smith contributed to this report.
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News:
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conversation has deteriorated...fairly expected given the topic. Best of luck to all. School really the answer even for...delonte, ladanianis, elllstupidus, ladarious, ignoramues ,criminalisu, don'tell, wasntme, @!$%#bch"nah, Dont'senuthin, seen@!$%#, nope, huh an dunnomynamecuz.
Wake up and smell the coffee. The desire for the underclass to stand out, creates unrecognizable names that, trying stand out, with the unrealistic prayer of distinction and monetary success. Unfortunately,
for every successful LaDanaian Thomlison, there are thousands of poorly named losers.
Holy crap, you are cracking me up here! I laughed until I hurt myself. :)
Obama whispers 'if I have son-in-law he will look like Leonard.'
"Society needs to learn the value of life again." That is what this is all about. It has nothing to do with race. The difference between the victims and the suspect is that the suspect actually killed...multiple people.
The most sensible reply I have read in this entire post!
It has everything to do with race.
The blacks in USA are violent.
The blacks in Africa are violent.
The blacks in Haiti are violent.
They will kill for any, or no reason at all.
So true Treefort.......I know someone who lived in Africa, and this person said that the blacks over there act just as savagely as they do over here. They rob, steal, kill and just generally act like sub-humans. It's in their blood and culture, and it is rare that one of them overcomes their primal, animalistic nature to go on and be successful. Just look at our prisons and inner cities. Very few of them can conduct themselves like a civilized human being.
All of the speeches he has made since he got elected...and not one PEEP about using condoms, stopping the violence in the black community, higher unemployment than ever in the black community, and now a black principal prohibiting the singing of God Bless America...sorry man, the AA community has issues.
Hey Turquorious....No Snitchin'...(that name is just too funny)...parents were Elephantis (her) and Bigdongus (him)
Well, Elephantis can't be shur dat da baby daddy not be Longshlongius either. She be with him bout da same time as Bigdongus, you know.
I am truly amazed by some of the comments that are being posted. It always seem to go from black people killing each other to what black people choose to name their children. ALL of you need to get some business! If you are not a part of the solution then you are a part of the problem. Your opinions are like @ssholes which all of you r@cist idiots are!!
Truth is not racism.
Reality is not racism, either MicB. Open your eyes and stop acting like a martyr for the black race trying to defend it out of political correctness because you feel guilty for being white or because you can't see the truth of your own race if you're black.
Blacks killing blacks.Old news.
What amazes me is that white bigots use anything he can to hide behind to express his negative views.
Years ago it was from behind sheets, now it's from behind the computer.
But, that's how cowards behave.
Well, at least we aren't out killing our own kind (and others) in record numbers all across America. Better for a white to sit behind a keyboard and speak the truth than for a black (like Sharpton) to stand behind a pulpit and speak lies.
Furthermore, we whites can't go out in public and speak the truth anymore because blacks have seen to it that "hate speech" will silence us or roving gangs of black thugs who don't like what we're saying (the truth) will attack us to shut us up. Tell me, why is it that blacks will only attack when they outnumber their victim? Who are the real cowards? It ain't whites.
Whites built this country. Black have done nothing but tear it down.
Photo caption: "Police officers with automatic weapons stand outside a home in Montgomery, Ala. on Monday. They believe the man suspected in the Auburn shootings entered the home."
Glaring problem: that isn't an automatic weapon. It's clearly a bolt-action long range rifle ("sniper rifle"). Seriously... could the editorial staff at least demonstrate some basic technical competence before publishing? Yet another example of ignorant media shrieking about guns.
Too many blacks offended by the comments here. No, not all blacks are bad. It pertains mainly to those who are the descendants of the slaves who have a chip on their shoulders. To all of you blacks who don't fit the profile, my hat is off to you. I was raised in a small town and lived in a large city for 10 years so I have seen the different attitudes. For those of you who would like a black minister's view, go to Youtube and search for: "What Every White Person Should Know." If the shoe fits, wear it. If not, glad to know you, neighbor.
Really? It's amazing how people with a keyboard and internet access can quickly exhibit little knowledge of history, lack of respect and narrow views of society. Despite your claims of having lived 10 years in a large city, you have learned little to nothing. And sadly, profiling and stereotyping are far too synonymous. There a good and bad people, regardless of gender, race, socio-economic status, education, physical attraction, etc.
Ramon Preston,
I just watched the video on You Tube. Wow, this Reverend Manning has my respect. If we all - Black AND White - would just do what he says, then this country would benefit mightily from it.
What is discouraging is to read the responses to his video. Lots of Blacks kneejerk response is that he hates his own race or is promoting hate and bigotry. Lots of Whites saying they aren't going to listen to any black man. Very few are really listening to his entire message and what he is saying.
I hope the police kill him. I bet you do, too.
The mothers of these three dead boys should have taught them that if you play with crap, you'll get it on you. What a waste.
"Police officers with automatic weapons". <cringe> Sure sounds a lot more sensational than "bolt action sniper rifle".
Or just a "Bolt action rifle with a funny looking thumb hole stock on it". A so-called "sniper rifle is nothing but a heavy barrrel bolt action rifle chambered for either 223 or 308. The media has to sensationalize any mention of a gun to make it sound more sinister and dangerous.
Don't drag this out for twenty years; kill him, and move on-end of story!
forget about the gun excuse, and please forget about this being black culture. this is a people thing, and there is no race to blame. life means nothing anymore. some would like to look outside there bubble and place blame, but the truth of the matter is this world is insane! so before we blame another race lets look at things please with open mind. i know this can be hard to do with most but lets try. As far as killings goes lets start with KKK, Black Panthers, Mafia, Tong, Serial Killers, Child Molesters, Kidnappers, Domestic Violence, Gangbangers, Arsonist..... see the pattern here? the pattern is taking a life not the color of your skin. Until we understand what the real problem is i dont think this world will ever get better. Wishing good will upon you all from a black man..............
I do not know all the facs on this case, just like other high profile case, where you see a hord of media grabbers attend meetings, claiming they are there for the parrents and family, but they seem to be more into the camera light then anything else, Jesse and Al great team of camera grabers.
My hart go's out to the parents, and I pray they are not drug into a media soap opera by those who see a buck.
[FBI stated] that 90 percent of all black murders were done by other black people, if this is true, what's it going to take, to wake the black people up, stop killing one another 90 percent dam it, stop.
Three Black men were shot deaed and no one is saying it is racially motivated? $1000 says the shooter yelled "die N*****!" and still not racially motivated? Why? because the shooter is also black? So blacks can't be prejudiced against blacks? Or wait... I forgot blacks aren't capable of being racially prejudiced at all right? Even if the victims were white it would STILL not be considered racially motivated! If you morons don't understand that there is either a conspiracy to start a race war, or people with the power to do so who are too stupid to recognize that they are doing so, then you deserve to die in said war!
yes sir..wher's Jessie and Sharpton calling for this guy to be lynched by a mob of his piers !!!
America is blessed to have many choices for higher education. Division 1 sports is big time. 40 years ago. Univ of Alabama football team had only 1 black player i saw playing,Wilbur Jackson RB.F Fwd to 2012 in Ala, 3 young men, Auburn Football players are DEAD.Whats going on? Stop the violence, stop the madness. It was hard to treated right for these youngsters throw it out the window.
Just another day in Paradise ( You can hear the "Phil Collins song " in the background ) !!
This guy shot and killed 3 black men, Zimmerman only shot one.....Hows the mainstream media going to handle this ?..where's Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton now ?.......see the Hipocracy in the Travon martin case now ?
It's about time you opened your eyes to whats going on in your own communities...raise your kids right and this dont happen....to them...
It is not the color of their skin, it is the content of their character.
I used to be a cop where all the problems you have in the inner city, all the problems facing blacks-14 year old unmarried girls getting pregnant, school drop out rates, more babies having babies, absent fathers, all the same cr@p, but it was whites doing the bad things. To me the underlying cause is the way the Welfare system operates. Have a baby, we will give you free money, no matter what the circumstances, have another, we will give you MORE money.
Besides that, I think we can all agree, the "inner city, black gangster culture" is a bad thing, but that isn't a problem brought about by whites, that is a problem that has to be addressed by black leaders, and few are doing so.
so your admitting they are weak minded to the point they keep falling into the "White mans Trap ".....
Give us a break, they choose to take" the easy way out " ..........it's a personal choice to be a citizen or be a criminal / leach !!!
IT be all whiteys fault!
Ha, ah..I love the ignorance !
Three black university students were murdered over a girl??
Better call Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson right away.
Oh, wait a minute. They were murdered by another black man?? Maybe Al and Jesse won't make an issue out of that. Business as usual I guess.
that's not an automatic weapon in the picture at the top of the article.
My prayers to the victims of this senseless violence in Auburn Alabama.
I hope they take out this "Desmonte Leonard" soon with no more blood shed (except his, maybe). Last I heard they have him cornerned.
I spent a couple of months in Auburn working for the University. One of the best college towns I ever visited. Very friendly people in general. Their college football thing is huge. One of the first to have 3D cameras and broadcast. All their football games have huge sports media attention.
One of those "best kept secret" towns. Auburn does not deserve this kind of violence and they will not tolerate it.