A deadly drive-by shooting in the St. Paul Loop subdivision of Hammond started as a fight at a house party, Tangipahoa Parish authorities said Monday.
The shooting happened Saturday night, taking the life of 16-year-old Leonard Williams, a Hammond High School Sophomore.
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Sheriff's Office Chief of Operations Jimmy Travis says their investigation determined it started as a fight when the suspect assaulted his girlfriend.
"There was a female there that was, basically, went Facebook live and was twerking, and it upset her boyfriend, the 17-year-old suspect in this case," said Travis. "He physically assaulted her in the yard,"
Travis said after the suspect after the suspect threw her to the ground, one of the other attendees at the party had words with the 17-year-old.
"Our 17-year-old shooter got back into his (Dodge) Journey and exited the subdivision," said Travis.
A short time later, authorities say the suspect returned and started firing a 9mm handgun from the passenger window of the Dodge at a Lexus parked nearby. Travis says occupants of the Lexus began shooting back.
"Just before they started firing, Leonard Williams exited the vehicle and started walking away," Travis said. "We feel that in this exchange of gunfire, he was caught in the crossfire, resulting in his death."
Travis says their investigation suggests Williams was attempting to avoid the conflict, but ended up losing his life in it, instead.
In all, authorities arrested seven people.
"There were over 30 rounds of casings located," said Travis "We believe there were three weapons involved."