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Two men have been arrested in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred in Bogalusa earlier this month, according to Det. Capt. David Miller of the Bogalusa Police Department.

Miller said that BPD detectives began an investigation early Monday morning, as they responded to the shooting death of Michael Brock, 19, of Kentwood. Brock’s shooting occurred in the Sunset Acres (Union Pointe) Housing Complex in Bogalusa.

Miller said it was learned that Brock was from the Kentwood/Tangipahoa Parish area, and was affiliated with the rap group faction “Three-13.” Miller said Brock was apparently staying in Bogalusa with a relative of his girlfriend, due to his receiving death threats on social media from a rival group of individuals in the Tangipahoa Parish area.

“According to neighbors, and those present in the housing complex, there was a knock at the door of the apartment where Brock was staying, and upon him answering the door, the shooter opened fire on Brock, using an AR-15 .223 caliber assault rifle at point blank range,” Miller said. “The shooter then fled, as a passenger in a light-colored sedan.”

Miller said that there were other people present in the apartment, including a 7-year-old child who was in the same room with Brock during the hail of gunfire, but the child was miraculously not shot. Brock sustained multiple gunshot wounds, which resulted in his death. Others present were not able to offer any further details on the identity of the shooter, Miller said.

Early in the investigation, having knowledge that the victim was from the Tangipahoa Parish Area, and that the shooter was also likely from that area, detectives reached out to several agencies in that area for intelligence that could lead to the identity of the suspect and get-away driver in the murder.

“Using intelligence gathered from the ROCIC Intelligence Unit, and from multiple outside agencies, along with surveillance video from the housing complex, within 24 hours of the shooting, Bogalusa detectives had established the identity of the shooter and the get-away driver in the murder of Michael Brock,” Miller said.

Warrants were sought and obtained for the arrest of Tauj Chardez Taplin, 19 of Kentwood, identified as the shooter, and Quardavion Tyvon White, 19, of McComb, Miss., identified as the “get-away” driver.

Miller said that Taplin and White are both known to be affiliated with the rap group faction known as “The Fours.” White is also suspected of having ties to the Chicago, Ill., based gang, the “Gangster Disciples,” Miller said.

Detectives with the Bogalusa Police Department, with the assistance of the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Kentwood Police Department, the Pike County Sheriff’s Office, and the McComb Police Department, as well as other agencies, including the Baton Rouge Police Department, the Louisiana State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms, and many others, began a manhunt for the perpetrators.

Miller said that Bogalusa detectives were notified early Thursday morning, by the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office in Anahauc, Texas, east of Houston, Texas, that their deputies had responded to a traffic stop with a silver and purple Nissan Maxima (believed to be the suspect vehicle), occupied by both perpetrators.

“A struggle took place between the deputies and the perpetrators, resulting in Taplin managing to escape and flee in the vehicle,” Miller said. “White was taken into custody by Chambers County Deputies. Taplin led deputies and officers on a high speed pursuit east toward Beaumont (Texas), before the pursuit was called off due to Taplin endangering the lives of others in the pursuit.”

Miller said that Taplin was later located in the Calcasieu Parish area, near Lake Charles, and was apprehended by the Louisiana State Police.

Both White and Taplin will face charges stemming from the struggle and pursuit in the Texas jurisdiction, as well as the Calcasieu Parish jurisdiction.

“The administration would like to recognize the swift and thorough work of their Detectives Division for quickly identifying the perpetrators in the shooting, as well as the combined effort of all of the outside agencies for their contribution in the apprehension of these dangerous individuals,” Miller said.