Video Captures People Fleeing Lafayette, Louisiana Shooting

A late Sunday night shooting at a venue on the Evangeline Thruway is the latest incident in a troubling start to 2024 for Lafayette, marking the city's ninth shooting incident this year, according to local police. The incident, which required a Lafayette Police Officer to discharge their weapon, is still under investigation.

The shooting occurred at approximately 10:56 p.m. in the 1200 block of NE Evangeline Thruway, adding to recent violent events that have taken place in the community, including the New Year’s Day shooting and another incident on Sunset Drive. Arrests have been made in both cases, but the latest shooting remains unresolved.

KATC, our media partners, have obtained surveillance video from a nearby business, which captured the scary moment when the incident began to unfold. The footage shows bystanders running for their lives as shots echo in the background. The business, requesting anonymity due to fear among its employees, shared the footage in hopes of shedding light on the violence impacting their community.

Sgt. Robin Green, Public Information Officer for the Lafayette Police Department, provided details on the police response to the chaos. "Upon arrival, our officers learned of a shooting inside a local establishment, with a large crowd emerging from the venue and scattering across the parking lot," Green explained. "During a safety sweep, one of our officers encountered an armed individual actively firing in the area, prompting the officer to engage and shoot at the suspect."

The Louisiana State Police have taken over the investigation of the officer-involved shooting, with the officer in question being placed on paid administrative leave in accordance with LPD protocol.

The Lafayette Police Department is urging anyone with information on this latest incident to come forward. Community members can contact the Lafayette Police Department or Lafayette Crime Stoppers at (337) 232-TIPS. As Lafayette confronts this surge in gun violence, authorities are calling for the public's help in piecing together the events that have led to yet another shooting in the city.

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