MAMOU — MAMOU, LA — A deadly shooting during a Mardi Gras Zydeco event on Tuesday afternoon has left the Mamou community reeling. What was meant to be a joyous Fat Tuesday celebration quickly turned tragic, as gunshots rang out, causing chaos and fear among attendees.
Mamou Police Chief Patrick Hall confirmed that two people died in the shooting, and several others were injured, including two individuals who are in critical condition. The violence has left many residents shaken, with some questioning their safety in the aftermath.
A video submitted to KATC shows a large crowd dancing and enjoying the music of Chris Ardoin, who was performing during the Mardi Gras event. Suddenly, gunshots interrupted the celebration, causing people to flee and seek shelter. Mardi Gras decorations still adorned the streets Wednesday morning, but police tape now marked the site of the tragic event.
One vendor from Texas, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, was close to the scene when the shooting occurred. She described the moment of terror.
"The band was playing, and I was cleaning up when I heard gunshots... immediately i took cover and then there was nothing but mayhem and chaos. It was so scary,” she said.
The Evangeline Parish Sheriff's Office and State Police investigated the scene on Wednesday morning, speaking with residents and trying to piece together the events. Police are working to determine the details of both this shooting and a separate incident that occurred the night before, injuring three people.
The two shootings, which occurred within a 24-hour period, have resulted in a total of 14 injuries. Mamou’s Police Chief Hall is committed to solving the crimes but acknowledged the challenges his department faces due to limited resources.
“We were prepared for it, but again, you can’t control the influx and the impact of the crowds. We thought the weather would make it smaller, but people stayed around. We had the manpower, but you can’t control what’s going on,” Hall said.
Councilman Derrell Thomas, who was present during the event, expressed his heartbreak over the tragedy. “This is truly heartbreaking. Mardi Gras is big in Mamou, and it’s the only thing we have,” he said. “First of all, I want to send my condolences to the family because I was on stage, and I had my little ones with me, too.”
KATC asked Thomas why the event wasn't canceled after the Monday night shooting on Sixth and Oak streets. He explained that city leaders had initially planned to cancel the event due to severe weather, but once the weather cleared, everything appeared to be running smoothly. As a result, he and the Chief decided to proceed with the event as planned.
Chief Hall, visibly affected by the event, shared the emotional toll it has taken on him. "That was the thing that weighed on my heart last night, seeing the family right here and the kid is over here on the tarp. We just ask for prayers, we all need them," he said.
While it remains unclear whether the two shootings are connected or how many shooters were involved, police have identified a person of interest in the Tuesday shooting but have not made any arrests. Chief Hall is urging anyone with information to come forward, assuring that all tips will remain anonymous.
“We need to go to the drawing board to figure out what to do better next time and figure out how to fix it,” Hall said, emphasizing his department’s commitment to preventing such violence in the future.
KATC continues to push for the release of the people deceased but have not heard back from police.
