BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Two people were killed Friday and two others were hospitalized after a drive-by shooting near the Mall of Louisiana, Baton Rouge Police said.
Police said the shooting, which occurred about 1:30 p.m. near the mall's parking lot entrance., was a “highly-planned” and “targeted” incident, news outlets reported.
The shooter pulled next to the victims' car, opened fire and then got into a separate getaway vehicle, Baton Rouge Police spokesman Sgt. L’Jean McKneely said. Four people were inside the targeted vehicle. Two were pronounced dead at the scene; the other two were taken to an area hospital with serious injuries, he said.
None of the victims' names has been released.
“Today, we have seen yet another troubling episode of gun violence shake the core of our community with a shooting along Bluebonnet Blvd. this afternoon," Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome said in a statement. “This violence affects the lives of everyone within our parish. ... This violence was not random, and BRPD is working to apprehend the perpetrators as quickly as possible. These acts of violence will not be tolerated.”
Weston Broome urged the community to contact police if they know anything about the shooting.
“We must work together to identify those committing criminal activity and instill accountability, to create a safer community for everyone,” she said. "Baton Rouge residents deserve to live in a community of peace. I am confident as we band together, we as a community can overcome these challenges for a better future.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
