Crowley Police told KATC four shootings over the weekend of the Rice Festival left one man dead, two in critical condition, and three other people with non-life threatening injuries.
The first shooting occurred on October 17th at the Walmart on West Hutchinson Ave. Police told KATC a man was found with several gun shot wounds to the head upon arrival. Police have identified a suspect, but have not apprehended him.
The following day, October 18th, officers were called to an apartment complex on Dejean Circle. Police say one man was found dead upon arrival. The suspect of the shooting turned himself into police custody.
Later that same evening, shots were fired on West Mills Street near the Rice Festival carnival. Police told KATC a few people were walking to their car when shots were fired at them. Police believe the shooting was gang-related, and victims have non-life threatening injuries.
Four minutes later, police received another call of shots fired at the intersection of Avenue Street and 3rd Street, where a vehicle was ambushed. One person is in critical condition, and two others have non-life threatening injuries.
Crowley Police Chief Troy Hebert told KATC there tends to be a spike in shootings around Rice Festival time.
“We do see a little uptake in certain areas with so many people coming into town," Hebert said. "You do get some, sometimes ,where it is a little bit more aggressive out there.”
Chief Hebert says despite the recent uptick in shootings, the department has made great strides in reducing gun violence in Crowley.
“We went almost a year and a half without a single killing. We have had some shootings where some people have got hit and that’s very concerning," Hebert said. "Their intent was to kill, even though they didn’t, but we did go through a long period of time, a year and a half with no killings.”
Chief Hebert says the Crowley Police Department will continue to make efforts to control gun violence.
