I agree with the K-22. I've had one for 40+ and after 1000s of rounds, still works great. A Ruger stainless Standard, Mk! to MkIII would be my second choice.
I would go with a stainless Ruger 10/22, with a couple of 25 rd mags included.
I would go with a 20 ga 870 Express compact with a 21 inch...
I grew up in that area of Louisiana, well familiar with both towns and been in both WalMart stores. The scary part is that neither place is a downtown welfarehood type of place. They are decent small towns, just like you see all over Georgia. Which means what happened there could happen just...