According to reports, one woman was killed and two men were wounded by gunfire in New Orleans on May 31 after a high school graduation had just taken place nearby.
As NBC News reports, the shooting occurred just before 12 p.m. It took place near Xavier University’s Convocation Center shortly after a Morris Jeff High School graduation took place.
High School Graduation Is Followed By Gunfire That Killed 1
Reports suggest all of the victims did attend the graduation. They were shot after exiting the venue.
The shooting reportedly broke out following a fight. It’s unclear if the victims were involved in the fight or innocent bystanders.
“There was a fight that broke out, apparently between two females in the parking lot” which led to gunfire, NOPD Deputy Superintendent Chris Goodly told reporters.
“We’re asking for anyone with information that can help lead us to a successful conclusion and apprehension of individuals that may be responsible for this senseless, senseless act of violence.”
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Immediately following the shooting, three people were arrested and brought in for questioning. Weapons believed to have been used in the shooting were recovered by officers.
“I am outraged and saddened by the callousness shown today outside Xavier University,” NOLA-PS Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis Jr. said in a statement. “The graduating seniors of Morris Jeff were there to share in their collective achievements and bask in the brightness of their futures – only to have their optimism ripped apart by gun violence.
“This has got to stop. We must come together as a community, as a country, and address the damage caused by access to guns and to get to the root of the anger and despair that compels individuals to even think of harming others. All our children have a right to be safe and we must do all we can in our power to protect that right. My heart breaks for the families of the victims, and I implore us all to rally around them in their time of need.”
The identities of the victims were not released to the public. Neither were their ages. The two men, according to WDSU, are expected to make recoveries.
WDSU reports that this is the second triple shooting to occur outside a high school graduation. The first happened less than two weeks ago in Hammond.