Gunfire broke out near the end of one of New Orleans’ largest Mardi Gras parades Sunday night, killing one man and sending four other people — including a young girl — to the hospital.
Police said the girl, a woman, and three men were shot, and one of the men died at the hospital, according to WWL.
“We don’t know what happened prior to that, but we did hear gunshots and our officers responded as well as other agencies very quickly. And we were able to find two weapons on scene and also apprehend what we believe to be the shooter,” NOPD Deputy Chief Hans Ganthier said.
The Krewe of Bacchus parade winds its way through downtown and uptown New Orleans to end at the convention center on the waterfront. The shooting took place at about 9:30 p.m. near St. Charles Avenue and Terpischore Street.
Police said that parade was temporarily halted but later resumed “to get out of the way” of the crime scene, although participants did not throw anything from the parade’s floats in that area.
“This is not something we wanted to see. We really wanted to be a safe Mardi Gras and we continue to work toward that end,” Ganthier said.
Police have not released the names or ages of any of those involved.
Investigators have not said if they believe the man they took into custody was the only shooter.
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[Featured image: Police work the scene of a shooting at the Krewe of Bacchus parade on February 19, 2023. (David Grunfeld/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate via AP)]