In a troubling event during Saturday's Mardi Gras in the Country Parade in Clinton, Louisiana, gunfire broke out resulting in injuries to five individuals, among them a young child aged six years. The parade, a community gathering that began around midday, was disrupted when the shooting occurred, prompting attendees to scatter and seek safety.
East Feliciana Parish Sheriff Jeff Travis provided details regarding the incident, confirming that the shooting took place shortly after the parade had commenced in Clinton, a town located roughly 30 miles north of Baton Rouge. Despite the presence of additional law enforcement officers assigned to secure the event, the cause and precise circumstances of the shooting remain undetermined.
Sheriff Travis disclosed that three individuals carrying firearms within the vicinity were taken into custody, although their involvement in the shooting has not been established. The investigation continues as authorities endeavor to identify those responsible and understand the motivations behind the act.
Governor Jeff Landry issued a response to the incident via the social media platform X, describing the shooting as "absolutely horrific and unacceptable." He extended calls for the community to keep the victims in their prayers during this distressing time.
Specific details concerning the victims' identities and their current medical statuses have not been publicly released. Nonetheless, Bill Cox, Chief Criminal Deputy of the East Feliciana Parish Sheriff's Office, conveyed to local news outlet The Advocate that all individuals wounded in the shooting were expected to survive.
In support of the ongoing investigation, the sheriff's office has appealed to anyone who might have captured photographic or video footage of the shooting or its surrounding area to come forward and share this material with law enforcement. This request underscores the challenges faced in reconstructing the events due to limited immediate eyewitness evidence.