Marine Says Gun 'Somehow' Fired, Hitting Man 4 Times In Deadly Drug Deal

A Marine is offering a vague explanation for a murder he is accused of committing: The gun used to kill a Louisiana father of five “somehow” fired repeatedly, pumping four bullets into its victim, according to cops.

Quan Charles, 19, was arrested in connection with the alleged August 14 murder of May Francois in a New Orleans drug deal gone wrong, according to The Times Picayune.

Charles is accused of shooting Francois around 3 p.m. in the Big Easy's central business district. The jarhead told police that when the transaction went south, he pulled a gun on Francois ― and that's when the firearm "somehow" went off multiple times, the Picayune reported.

Charles and two other unknown suspects then sped off in his vehicle, soon crashing into the facade of a nearby building. The trio then ran off on foot, still toting the alleged murder weapon, cops said.

Investigators found security footage of the shooting, which shows at least one suspect with the getaway car, according to The Advocate, another Louisiana-based newspaper.

Emergency responders found Francois bleeding from the head, and he was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Four bullets were found lodged in his body, according to the Times Picayune.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve confirmed Charles is enlisted as a lance corporal, and offered no further comment on the case, according to the outlet.

Charles was hit with second-degree murder charges and is being held on $500,000 bond. He does not appear to have any previous convictions and will be represented by a public defender, according to The Times Picayune.

Francois' family has not commented publicly on his death.

[Photo: Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office]