Grieving father shot dead at 8-year-old son's funeral

Jeramie Shorter (left) was shot dead while he was preparing for the funeral of his eight-year-old son Jermier (right). Photo / Facebook

A man was shot dead in the US while he attended the funeral for his 8-year-old son.

The 26-year-old grieving dad, Jeramie Shorter, was preparing to lay his young son to rest after he died of cancer two weeks earlier.

Shorter was shot dead at the Weert's Funeral Home in Davenport, Iowa, on Saturday morning local time.

Witnesses called 911 after seeing a man with a handgun at the funeral home.

The suspect managed to flee and but was arrested after a high-speed chase through a residential area, followed by a foot pursuit.

Muemonei Laster, 24, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder, as well as possession of a firearm by a felon, eluding arrest and interference with official acts with a weapon.

The suspect Nuemonei Laster has been charged with first-degree murder. Photo / Scott County Sheriff's Office

Shorter, who had a total of 17 children, was taken to hospital but ended up dying there.

Police are yet to establish a motive but say the murder seems to have been "deliberate" and "premeditated".

The victim's father, Jamie Delaney Shorter, told local news source KWQC that he couldn't understand why anyone would take a gun to a child's funeral.

"Him losing his son. I'm losing my grandson to cancer that he fought for many years. We went through that two weeks ago, then to go through this? Now I don't have him. It's hard," he said.

"Why would you want to bring a gun to a kid's wake? To a baby's wake? No matter what's going on. Where was your mind thinking?"