Outside the 'South': New Orleans park shooting leaves 16 injured, 10 hospitalized
By Jed Lipinski, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune AL.com /storypackage /#article_inset Article
NEW ORLEANS — Sixteen people were injured Sunday night (Nov. 22) after gunfire erupted during a block party at Bunny Friend Park in the Upper 9th Ward, New Orleans Police Department officials said. EMS transported 10 victims to area hospitals, and another six arrived at emergency rooms through private conveyance.
Speaking at the scene, NOPD Superintendent Michael Harrison said he believed multiple people had fired into the crowd of more than 300. NOPD spokesman Tyler Gamble later confirmed that all victims are in stable condition.
Speaking at the scene, NOPD Superintendent Michael Harrison said he believed multiple people had fired into the crowd of more than 300, who had gathered for a block party. "I can't speak to the condition" of the victims, Harrison said, but "no one has died at this time."
Several witnesses said the gathering was part of an after party for the Nines Times Social Aide & Pleasure Club's annual second line, which took place earlier in the day in the Lower Ninth Ward. Harrison described the after-party as an "unpermitted event."
"We staffed the second line pretty heavily," Harrison said. The NOPD later received word of an "impromptu video filming" inside the park, he said. The filming "had circulated through social media because we got no report of it."
Multiple witnesses said they saw a man with a silver-colored machine gun fleeing the scene toward Louisa Street. They said the gunfire continued inside the park as the man ran away.
After the shooting, witnesses described several gunshot victims lying in the middle of Gallier Street and Desire Street as EMS responders administered to them.
Joseph Jordan was in a house across the street from the park with his friend, who gave her first name as Raven, when they heard gunshots. Later someone called Raven and told her that her niece had been shot. The two rushed to the hospital to check on the 14-year-old, who had been shot three times in the leg.
Speaking of the hospital, Jordan said: "It's still crowded back there."
Mayor Mitch Landrieu joined Harrison during a press conference at the scene. He applauded the quick response of the NOPD and EMS.
"At the end of the day, it's really hard to police against a bunch of guys who decided to pull out guns and settle their disputes with 300 people in between them," Landrieu said. "It's not something you can tolerate in the city."
Both Harrison and Landrieu said they hoped that witnesses inside the park would help the NOPD to identify the shooters.
"This is a classic case where we need citizen help," Harrison said. "People know who did this. We need them to come forward and tell us so we can bring these people to justice."