LAUREL, Miss. (WHLT) – An 18-year-old man was arrested after a pregnant woman was shot and killed.

Laurel police said the shooting happened in the 1300 block of North 2nd Avenue on August 14, 2023. When officers arrived, they found the pregnant woman with a gunshot wound to the head.

The victim was taken to South Central Regional Medical Center (SCRMC) where a baby girl was delivered. The woman and the baby were later transferred to the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) in Jackson.

Police said the victim was later pronounced deceased at UMMC, and the baby was listed in good condition. Child Protection Services (CPS) was called in to assist with the baby.

On Tuesday, August 15, the suspect, 18-year-old Tavaris Atwood, was arrested by Smith County deputies at a home on Highway 37 near Taylorsville. He was transported to the Jones County Jail.

Atwood was charged with first-degree murder. He’s expected to have his initial appearance in court on Wednesday, August 16.