One person has died and five others have been injured following a shooting at the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge, police have confirmed.
The incident occurred in the food court on Thursday afternoon when two groups became involved in an argument that escalated into gunfire, according to Baton Rouge Police Chief TJ Morse. Officers responded to reports of shots fired at around 1.22pm. Video surveillance later showed the two groups arguing before opening fire on one another.
Chief Morse initially reported ten wounded but later clarified that five people had been injured, with at least two requiring surgery. "There were some innocent people in the area who might have also caught some rounds," he said, adding that there is no known threat to the public.
Baton Rouge Mayor Sid Edwards vowed to catch those responsible: "To the thugs that did this, we’re going to catch you." Multiple agencies, including the FBI and ATF, are assisting in the search for suspects.
Witnesses described scenes of panic. FedEx employee Stanley Jackson said he heard "several different guns go off" and saw four people lying on the ground bleeding. Kennedy Barnum, 22, was at the food court and was told by a security guard to leave immediately. Governor Jeff Landry urged residents to avoid the area and said prayers for those affected.
The shooting follows another mass shooting earlier this week in Shreveport, Louisiana, where eight children were killed and two adults wounded in what police described as a domestic violence incident.
