LAFAYETTE — Lafayette police have identified Carl Demark Thompson of New Iberia as the suspect in Sunday's shooting in downtown Lafayette.
The shooting happened just after 1:30 in the morning. 11 others were shot and treated for non-life threatening injuries. The victims were between the ages of 20 and 35.
"Certainly a little surprise when I got a phone call early Sunday morning letting me know that there was an incident that had happened on Jefferson Street", says Robin Thibodeaux of DBR Designs.
Robin Thibodeaux of DBR Designs downtown got a call before 6 a.m. from a neighboring store that her business was hit by bullets from Sunday's shooting.
"I got here somewhat in a panic because you never know what to expect. I drove up as far as I could. I got here and the area had crime scene tape was all over the place. Police were all over the place."
Along with the businesses, 12 were shot including Thompson who is currently in critical condition. The other 11 people have non-life threatening injuries.
"Because he's in critical condition we obtain warrants for 11 counts of attempted first degree murder and illegal discharge of a weapon", says Sgt. Robin Green of Lafayette Police. "So by giving the warrants, once he's recovered and released from the hospital, and then he'll be booked on those charges into Lafayette Parish Correctional Center."
Although the shooting happened hours after Festival International, LPD wants to remind everyone that the shooting has no ties to the event and assure the community that this is not a mass shooting.
"We want the community to know because we want them to feel safe to let them know that this was not a mass shooting. We have no evidence to indicate that this was a mass shooting."
"We've made adjustments over the past few years and that's why we started shutting down earlier", says Scott Feehan of Festival International. "We want some division between our patrons and whatever the nightlife looks like."
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