Because not enough terrible things have happened to the people of New Orleans in the last decade or so, you can now add ruining a family-first holiday to the list: on Sunday afternoon in the Lower 7th Ward of New Orleans, 19 people were shot during a Mother’s Day parade. Good grief.
Officials have ruled out concerns that this event was terrorism-related, with a spokesperson from the FBI declaring the shooting, “strictly an act of street violence in New Orleans.” In addition, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landieu made this statement about the shooting:
“The specialness of the day doesn’t appear to interrupt the relentless drumbeat of violence…It’s a culture of violence that has enveloped the city for a long, long period of time.”
Though no arrests have been made, police suspect three gunman and there is a $10,000 reward for anyone who comes forward with news that leads to their arrest. Unfortunately for New Orleans, as of Monday, “There’s nothing new to report,” said a New Orleans Police Department spokesperson.
New Orleans shooting: 3 sought after 19 shot during Mother’s Day parade [Chicago Tribune]
Police seek gunmen in New Orleans Mother’s Day parade shooting [Reuters]
WATCH: Surveillance shows shooting suspect at New Orleans parade [NY Daily News]
Photo by AP/New Orleans Police Department