At Least 16 People Injured In Shooting At New Orleans Park

NEW ORLEANS-Police on Monday sought to determine what touched off a wild shootout in a crowd of hundreds of people at a New Orleans playground, where an evening of fun at a block p… The incident happened late on Sunday at Bunny Friend Park in the Upper Ninth Ward.

New Orleans police Commander Chris Goodley, speaking in a video clip posted by the New Orleans “Times-Picayune” website, said the crowd at the park remained “orderly” after the shooting. Everybody knows who was in this park last night, there were 500 people here. He said it’s “highly possible” that the shooting was related to the city’s heroin trade but authorities are still investigating.

Police said 10 people were taken to the hospital in ambulances while another six were taken in private vehicles.

But instead, it was a scene of chaos and people scattering for safety. Later someone called Jordan’s friend and told her that her niece had been shot.

Damien Gaines said he was with his two sons, ages 10 and 13, and their 10-year-old cousin had strolled over to check out music at the playground on Sunday. His 10-year-old Dimen (DYE’-men) was hit.

Amanda Blackburn, 28, was found partially nude, with her underwear nearby and her shirt pulled up, lying in a pool of blood on her living room floor. Police said neither event had a permit. She said she later counted seven bullet holes in her truck. “It was an unpermitted, unplanned thing, so we did not know about it”. The initial 16 people reported as injured suffered either a “direct gunshot wound” or a “graze wound” and had all been listed in stable condition.

Bloodied gauze pads, crime scene tape and a child’s bicycle still dotted the park hours after the shooting.

NOPD Superintendent Michael Harrison said did not say if any suspects had been developed but had some clues as to the nature of the violence. Police had been helping with a parade that had been taking place about a block away from the park and were able to quickly get to the park, Harrison told the TV station.

New Orleans shootout erupted during an impromptu music video recording at the city park. He conceded, however, that many in the city don’t feel safe.

Mayor Mitch Landrieu is calling on people with knowledge of the shooting to help police.