Gunmen opened fire on people marching in a neighborhood Mother’s Day parade in New Orleans on Sunday, leaving at least 19 people injured, authorities said.
At least three of the victims were seriously wounded. The victims included a 10-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl. Both of them were grazed and in good condition.
The FBI described the incident as "street violence," not terrorism.
Cell phone video taken in the aftermath of the shooting shows victims lying on the ground, blood on the pavement and others bending over to comfort them.
Three alleged suspects were seen fleeing the scene. Authorities were seeking at least one man spotted running away from the site of the shooting. He was described as African-American, 18 to 22 years old and wearing a white T-shirt and blue-jean shorts—a description that could cover many people at the scene.
No arrests had been made as of early evening.
Mayor Mitch Landrieu urged witnesses to come forward with information during a news conference Sunday night at a hospital where gunshot victims were taken.
“These kinds of incidents will not go unanswered. Somebody knows something. The way to stop this violence is for you all to help,” he said.
As many as 400 people came out for the second-line procession — a boisterous New Orleans tradition — though only half that many were in the immediate vicinity of the shooting, said Police Superintendent Ronal Serpas. Officers were interspersed with the marchers, which is routine for such events.
The incident is not the first shooting involving multiple casualties in New Orleans this year.
