6-7-2023 (LOUISIANA) A Fourth of July block party in Shreveport, Louisiana, turned into a scene of horror as a mass shooting claimed the lives of three individuals and left seven others wounded, according to local officials.
Sgt. Angie Willhite, spokesperson for the Shreveport Police, reported that one of the gunshot victims is in critical condition, while the remaining six suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The identities of the deceased victims have not been disclosed by the police. As of Wednesday morning, no suspects have been apprehended, confirmed Shreveport District A Councilwoman Tabatha Taylor.
The violent incident unfolded late Tuesday night at a Fourth of July block party, which had been a long-standing “family and community event” without any prior incidents of violence.
First responders faced challenges reaching the victims due to the large number of vehicles at the scene, as conveyed by Shreveport Police Lt. Van Wray to CNN affiliate KSLA. Lt. Wray described the difficulties encountered by emergency medical services and officers in navigating the area congested with parked cars. Many responders were forced to abandon their vehicles and rush on foot to provide assistance.
This tragic event in Shreveport is part of a series of shootings that occurred across the country over the Fourth of July weekend.
In Baltimore, another block party on Sunday resulted in the deaths of two individuals, while 28 others, mostly teenagers, were injured. Authorities are currently searching for multiple assailants in connection with the incident.
In Philadelphia on Monday night, five people, including a 15-year-old boy, were fatally shot. Law enforcement officials reported that the shooter appeared to have indiscriminately fired along several blocks in the Kingsessing neighborhood. The suspect was subsequently apprehended and found in possession of an AR-style rifle and a handgun.
Late Monday night in Fort Worth, Texas, three people were killed and eight others wounded in a shooting incident, which occurred just hours before the neighborhood’s Fourth of July parade was scheduled to take place on the same street.
In Washington, D.C., nine people, including two minors, were injured shortly before 1 a.m. on Wednesday. Assistant Chief Leslie Parsons of the Metropolitan Police stated that someone from a vehicle had opened fire towards residents who were celebrating the Fourth of July. The investigation into this incident is ongoing.
According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been at least 412 fatalities in mass shootings across the country this year. The nonprofit organization, like CNN, defines mass shootings as incidents involving four or more individuals being shot, excluding the perpetrators.
