An exchange of gunfire erupted inside the food court of the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge on Thursday, resulting in one death and five injuries, according to police. Authorities initially reported up to ten people wounded but revised the figure hours after the incident. Five individuals have been arrested.
Details of the Incident
Police Chief TJ Morse stated that around 1:30 p.m., two groups argued inside the food court before opening fire on each other. The chief urged witnesses to share any video footage of the shooting. “Right now there is no known threat to the public,” Morse assured.
Mayor Sid Edwards condemned the violence, saying, “If you’re going to act like this in Baton Rouge, if you’re going to do these things, you’re going to get caught.”
Response and Aftermath
By late afternoon, dozens of police cars remained in the parking lot, helicopters hovered overhead, and armed officers in bulletproof vests patrolled the area. Mall spokesperson Lindsay Kahn described it as a “frightening day” for everyone present.
Desire Batton, a clothing store employee, recounted how she and coworkers hid in a breakroom until police rescued them. “We hid in there until cops came and got us,” she said, calling the experience terrifying.
Kennedy Barnum, 22, was at the mall to get lunch when she overheard a woman on the phone say, “I’ll call you back. There’s an active shooter in the mall.” Within minutes, law enforcement swarmed the area. Barnum saw people running and crying, including a girl she described as “hysterical.” A security guard told them to leave immediately.
Context of Gun Violence in Louisiana
This incident marks at least the second high-profile case of gun violence in Louisiana this week. On Sunday, a father fatally shot eight children, including seven of his own, in an attack spanning two houses in a Shreveport neighborhood. Two women, including the gunman’s wife, were critically wounded.
