Two arrested, one at large in Alabama shooting deaths

Desmonte Leonard in an undated photo.

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (Reuters) - Police have arrested two men in connection with Saturday night's shootings in Auburn, Alabama, that killed three men and wounded three others, but the prime suspect remained at large despite a manhunt by state, local and federal authorities, officials said on Monday.

The shootings followed an argument at a pool party and killed two former members of the Auburn University football team and wounded a current member of the team.

The FBI, U.S. marshals, state troopers and police from Auburn and Montgomery launched a manhunt for the prime suspect, Desmonte Leonard, 22, who has been charged with three counts of capital murder.

The two men under arrest, Gabriel Thomas, 41, and Jeremy Thomas, 18, were charged with hindering prosecution. Police in Montgomery, where they were arrested, said they had yet to determine if the two men are related.

Gabriel Thomas, of Montgomery, was arrested late on Sunday and charged with providing false information to law enforcement officers searching for Leonard, police said. He was being held on $15,000 bail. He was charged after investigators determined he had contact with Leonard and provided misleading information, police said.

Auburn police on Monday arrested Jeremy Thomas, also of Montgomery, on a warrant charging him with the same offense.

Police said Leonard fled the shooting scene with two other "persons of interest," later identifying one of them as Jeremy Thomas. It was unclear if Gabriel Thomas was also at the party.

Two of those shot to death, Edward Christian and Ladarious Phillips, both 20, formerly played for the Auburn football team. The third person killed was Demario Pitts, 20.

Current Auburn football player Eric Mack was released from a hospital on Sunday following treatment for a gunshot wound to his hip. He is considered a potential starter on the offensive line for the coming season.

One other victim, 20-year-old John Robertson, remained hospitalized and police said he was "clinging to life" with a gunshot wound to the head. The third wounded man was treated and released after the shootings.

(Editing by Daniel Trotta and Will Dunham)