A mass shooting at a Baton Rouge nightclub early Sunday left 12 people injured in a targeted attack that spilled over into throngs of partygoers, authorities said.
Gunfire broke out around 1:30 a.m. Sunday at the Dior Bar and Lounge, a small building in a high-traffic area just off College Drive. Nine people suffered non-life-threatening wounds and three were in critical condition, Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul said at a press conference Sunday afternoon.
“We believe that someone was specifically targeted and others were injured in that process,” Paul said.
Other recent high-profile mass shootings in the United States have involved gunmen targeting people indiscriminately in places like schools and nightclubs. But the Dior shooting’s targeted nature reflects a trend in Baton Rouge as the city continues to grapple with a high number of homicides — many of which are driven by people who turn to firearms to settle group disputes or personal grievances.
Three city police officers stationed in the club’s parking lot Saturday night quickly secured the scene after the shooting began, rushing to render aid to some of the wounded before emergency responders arrived, Paul said. Police have not identified a suspect.
It was not immediately clear if any of the people shot were targets in the attack. Asked if investigators know how many people opened fire at the club, a Baton Rouge Police Department homicide division commander declined to comment. Officials also did not answer questions about what type of firearm was used in the shooting, but said they had identified the kind of weapon that was used.
The shooting was “a senseless act of violence that will not go unchecked,” Baton Rouge Mayor Sharon Weston Broome said in a statement Sunday.
“I personally joined Chief Paul and members of the BRPD team overnight at the hospital,” Broome said. “Law enforcement is actively investigating the case to bring the perpetrators to justice.”
The shooting that happened overnight at a local venue was a senseless act of violence that will not go unchecked.
“I personally joined Chief Paul and members of the BRPD team overnight at the hospital. Law enforcement is actively investigating the case to bring the perpetrators to justice. BRPD will be sharing more information today. This is a sad event after our community has continuously worked to interrupt violence. All of our public safety teams are activated at this time. I have requested several community organizations reach out and provide victims and their families with necessary services, and ongoing supports to help ensure there are no retaliations from this event. We will not stop our work until everyone feels safe and individuals no longer turn to guns to resolve their differences. Please join me in praying for the victims and their families. If you have information about last night’s incident, please contact crime stoppers right away.” says East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome