On Sunday, two individuals lost their lives and ten more were injured during a couple of shootings that took place at a lively second-line parade in New Orleans, as reported by the New Orleans Police Department.
Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick shared in a news conference that there were actually two separate shooting incidents, occurring about 45 minutes apart.Despite having extra police presence at the parade, gunfire broke out around 3:40 p.m.
It seems that a vehicle was involved, and shots were fired into the crowd, leading to nine people being taken to hospitals; thankfully, all of them are alive.
Kirkpatrick mentioned that ballistics evidence indicates two different firearms were used, but she didn’t provide further details on those weapons.
About 45 minutes later, another round of gunfire erupted on a nearby bridge where three more people were hit. Since no vehicles could access the bridge at that time, it’s believed the shooting happened among the crowd there.
Tragically, this second incident resulted in two fatalities and left one person in extremely critical condition.
The police are still trying to determine if these shootings are connected since they happened so far apart from each other.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry expressed his sorrow over the events on social media and sent prayers for everyone affected while thanking first responders for their swift action.
He emphasized that this cycle of violence needs to stop. Attorney General Liz Murrill also shared her sadness about what she called a senseless mass shooting and urged for justice against those responsible.
Kirkpatrick encouraged anyone who might have footage or information about what happened to reach out to either New Orleans police or Crime Stoppers.
She noted that they had anticipated potential violence at this second-line event and had deployed additional officers accordingly.
Second-line parades are typically community-led celebrations often organized by social aid groups or as part of larger gatherings like funerals or festivities.
The term second line refers to those who follow behind the main brass band procession known as the first line. Kirkpatrick remarked on how wonderful these events can be and expressed hope for keeping them enjoyable while drawing thousands of attendees each time.