A 16-year-old is facing an attempted second-degree murder charge after allegedly shooting another teenager during a Mardi Gras Parade in Lake Charles Tuesday night. Deputies say a 14-year-old suffered a single gunshot wound to his arm and was treated at a hospital. Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Stitch Guillory says thankfully, no one else was injured.
“16 years old, in possession of a gun, on a parade route. Shooting at somebody with thousands of people out there enjoying themselves. He had no regard for public safety or anybody’s public safety,” Guillory said.
Guillory says deputies found the gun yesterday; it had been stolen from a bar on Common Street. He says there’s a photo on social media of the 16-year-old suspect holding the gun.
“We got a guy walking around with a pistol in his front pocket, with a 30-round clip sticking out of his pocket. Why would you bring that to a parade route? Unless you had ill intentions?” Guillory asked.
The 16-year-old is also charged with reckless discharge of a firearm at a parade and illegal possession of a handgun by a juvenile. Guillory says another 12 people were arrested on weapons and disorderly charges, as eight guns were confiscated along the parade route. The sheriff says holding parades on the night of Fat Tuesday may no longer be a good idea.
“Judging from talking to people at the sheriff’s office, they saw a shift in the crowd from daylight to dark. It was night and day difference. I really feel like there’s something that we need to look at,” Guillory said.
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