Two children have been shot to death after a hostage situation in Mississippi on Monday.

Marquez Griffin, 25, who recently moved back to this area from Arlington, Texas was arrested and is in custody at the Coahoma County Adult Detention Center, where he has been charged with 2 counts of murder and 2 counts of aggravated assault.

According to a news release from the Coahoma County Sheriff’s Office, at approximately 2 a.m. Monday, officers received a call from 325 Coldwater River Road Apartments in Jonestown of a child shot.

An off-duty sheriff’s deputy that lives in Jonestown, heard the call go out over the radio and immediately responded to the scene. Upon arrival, the off-duty deputy along with other sheriff’s deputies made contact with the suspect who was holding a child at gunpoint. Deputies were able to talk the subject into dropping his weapon and get the child to safety. The suspect was immediately taken into custody.

After the suspect was in custody deputies discovered that two children, a 9-year-old female and a 1-year-old male had suffered gunshot wounds before their arrival. One of the victims was pronounced dead on the scene and the other was transported to the ER in Clarksdale and did not survive.

The names of the two deceased children have not been released.

The sheriff’s office said the incident is under investigation and that a motive is not yet clear.

Jonestown is about 65 miles south of Memphis.