Photo: NBC News/Youtube
An investigation is ongoing inBaton Rouge, Louisianafollowing a “targeted” attack that wounded 12 people early Sunday morning.
Speaking to reporters late Sunday, Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul said that officers responded to a 911 call thatreported gunshotsinside the Dior Bar & Lounge at approximately 1:36 a.m. that morning.
Three police officers who were in the parking lot of the nightclub “immediately responded to the threat” Paul added.
“The officers were able to quickly secure the scene as well as administered life-saving aid until EMS and fire arrived to administer emergency medical services,” he continued.
Homicide Commander Lt. Brian Ballard also shared that of the 12 injured, nine suffered “non-life-threatening” injuries, while three others suffered injuries that were “life-threatening in nature.”
“At this point, we can say that it is believed to be a targeted attack,” Ballard said at the press conference. “This was not just a random act of someone showing up and randomly shooting citizens of Baton Rouge.”
“This was not a random act of violence,” Paul added. “We believe this was a targeted event – that someone was specifically targeted and others were also injured in that process.”
NBC News/Youtube
Louisiana News ChannelWAFBreported that six of the victims were transported to Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center. On Sunday afternoon, the hospital shared that three of the victims were in critical condition, while two others were in good condition and one person had been released.
“The shooting that happened overnight at a local venue was asenseless act of violencethat will not go unchecked,” Baton Rouge mayor Sharon Weston Broome tweeted after the incident.
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The investigation is ongoing to ascertain the exact number of perpetrators in the attack. Chief Paul also encouraged Baton Rouge residents and any possible witnesses to reach out to their local crisis helpline.
“There is someone who knows something,” said Paul. “Do the right thing. You can save the next incident because it is obvious that this person has a total disregard for life.”
The Louisiana shooting comes after 10 people were killed and 10 others were injured during amass shootingat a ballroom dance studio in Monterey Park, Calif. on Saturday. The suspect, 72-year-old Huu Can Tran, wasfound deadSunday from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Saturday’s incident marks the deadliest mass shooting in the U.S. since the May 2022tragedy at Robb Elementary Schoolin Uvalde, Texas.
source: people.com
