Samson marks anniversary of killings

SAMSON, Ala. (AP) - A south Alabama town is marking the one-year anniversary of a mass shooting that left 10 innocent people dead.

The city of Samson planned a memorial Wednesday to commemorate the lives lost on March 10, 2009. The shootings were the worst mass murder in Alabama history.

Mayor Clay King says he hopes the service helps the community move forward.

A man identified by police as Michael McLendon killed his mother in their rural home, set fire to the house and then drove into Samson on a shooting spree that left nine more people dead.

McLendon killed himself after driving through the nearby town of Geneva. Authorities say McLendon was frustrated by a life that included his failure to become a Marine or a police officer.