Law enforcement officials in Louisiana are investigating two separate mass shootings that happened in the state on Sunday.
Neither of those shootings happened in New Orleans.
The first happened at a nightclub in Baton Rouge. According to police, 12 people were wounded when shots rang out at the Dior Bar and Lounge shortly after 1:30 a.m. According to Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul, this incident was not a random act of violence.
“Based on the preliminary investigative efforts, we believe this was a targeted event, that someone was specifically targeted and others were also injured in that process because of a total disregard of life by the perpetrator and/or perpetrators involved in this,” Paul said during a media briefing Sunday afternoon.
Paul said three Baton Rouge police officers were outside of the bar in the parking lot when dispatch received the call about the shooting.
“Those police officers immediately responded to the threat, and we believe their immediate response prevented further injuries,” Paul said.
“The officers were able to quickly secure the scene as well as administer life-saving aid until EMS and fire arrived to administer emergency medical services.”
According to BRPD Homicide Division commander Lt. Brian Ballard, nine of the victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The other three suffered injuries police describe as life-threatening. Those victims’ conditions were not disclosed.
Deputy Chief Myron Daniel says the Louisiana Bureau of Alcohol and Tobacco Control will also be investigating the incident.
“They have also clarified that some of the items they will be looking into will be the security breach that occurred from the private security that was working at the event,” Daniel said about ATC. “They have also noted that the owners of the business are and have been cooperating throughout this process.”
Paul did not say if investigators have identified any suspects. He closed the briefing by pleading with anyone with information to contact police.
“We know that someone out there knows information, has information, has heard information that can help us in our investigative efforts,” Paul said. “We’re not just looking for the calls from witnesses. We encourage that. We want that. We support that. But there are people in the inner circle of the person who is responsible for this—the persons who were involved in this shooting incident—their family members, their friends. There is someone who knows something. Do the right thing.”
The second mass shooting happened Sunday afternoon in Shreveport.
According to Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith, multiple people were wounded just before 2 p.m. in the city’s Martin Luther King, Jr., neighborhood. Some of those victims, Smith said, are children.
“Around six or seven inside the residence were injured by gunfire, and at least four of the victims inside the residence were juveniles,” Smith said, adding that it’s possible the incident was a drive-by shooting. “There are multiple rounds in the street and off the roadway.”
Smith says this shooting appears to be targeted.
“The amount of rounds that were shot into the house: we’re not sure yet, but it was quite a bit” Smith said. “A lot of shell casings were laying in the street by the house (and) in the ditch by the house, so there ain’t no doubt in mind that somebody stopped, whatever the case may be, and focused on that residence.”
This case also remains under investigation.
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