‘Blood Was Everywhere!’ Mass Shooting at Mall of Louisiana, Multiple Victims
LIVE COVERAGE: A gunman opened fire in the food court of the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge on Thursday afternoon. Gov. Jeffy Landry confirmed there was an active shooter situation. This page will be updated and be sure to click here to get my breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox.
Mayor-President Sid Edwards said the suspects will be hunted down and brought to justice.
“To the thugs that did this, we’re going to catch you,” Edwards said. “We’re not going to have this in Baton Rouge. We’re going to grab these guys and get them out of the street.”
A triage area was set up near JC Penney and police are actively searching for up to two shooters. Police say at least 10 people were shot.
“I am aware of the active shooter scene at the Mall of Louisiana. I am in coordination with law enforcement and we will update as we know more. Please avoid the area,” the governor wrote on X. “Sharon and I are praying for those affected and are grateful for a quick response by our law enforcement officials.”
Attorney General Liz Muril said she had l “spoken to District Attorney Hillar Moore, who is actively monitoring the situation involving a weapon or weapons being discharged in the Food Court at the Mall of Louisiana. Multiple law enforcement agencies are responding – please avoid the area. More details will be available soon.”
Witness Stanley Jackson, a FedEx worker, was on the second floor of the mall when shots broke out. He told the Baton Rouge Advocate that he thought he heard “several different guns went off” and that shortly after, “everybody started running.”
Jackson also told the newspaper he saw four people on the ground bleeding.
“Blood was everywhere,” a mall worker told a local television reporter.
Baton Rouge Police Chief Thomas Morse said the shooting did not appear to be a random act of violence.
“We don’t know the condition of all of the victims. If there are at least a few in trauma or going through surgery, he said. “Right now there is no known threat to the public. As we start developing suspects we will do everything we can.”