Two teens killed in drive-by shooting outside Mall of La. Friday; police still seeking suspects
BATON ROUGE - An 18-year-old aspiring rapper was among two people killed in a hail of gunfire near the Mall of Louisiana Friday afternoon.
Police swarmed the intersection of Bluebonnet Boulevard and Picardy Avenue around 1:30 p.m. after an unidentified shooter opened fire from a vehicle near the entrance of the mall parking lot.
Four people were inside the car targeted by the shooter, which was covered in bullet holes when officers arrived. Two of them died at the scene, and the other two were taken to a hospital with serious injuries.
Police said the shooting stemmed from a feud between "violent groups." The attackers reportedly left their own bullet-ridden car behind and were picked up in a separate getaway vehicle.
"We believe they planned this," BRPD spokesperson L'Jean McKneely said Friday.
BRPD later identified the two killed as 19-year-old Clifton Lindsey and 18-year-old Donte Dorsey, a local rapper who also went by the name TrueBleeda. The two surviving victims were 21 and 19 years old, police said.
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Neighbors said gunshots were fired last week at Lindsey's home on Reverie Drive in the Glen Oaks area. His sister, 16-year-old Tremiyah Lindsey, was shot and killed in November near Glen Oaks High School. Her brother, Tremayne Lindsey, was also injured in that shooting and arrested on attempted murder charges.
One witness who was at the mall Friday afternoon said he was leaving the shopping center when the gunfire erupted and saw people scrambling to get into their cars.
"We thought it was safe," he said. "It shouldn't be where you have to witness something like this on a day you're just trying to get out and go shopping."
Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome's office released the following statement Friday.
"Today, we have seen yet another troubling episode of gun violence shake the core of our community with a shooting along Bluebonnet Blvd. this afternoon. This violence affects the lives of everyone within our parish.
Please know Chief Paul and our Baton Rouge Police Officers are actively investigating the situation. This violence was not random, and BRPD is working to apprehend the perpetrators as quickly as possible. These acts of violence will not be tolerated.
I am asking the residents of East Baton Rouge Parish to keep the victims of today’s violence in your prayers.
Also, be aware traffic in this area is being diverted and it's best avoid the area if possible.
While we work to bring justice to the victims, we must understand that we cannot be controlled by fear. We must work together to identify those committing criminal activity and instill accountability, to create a safer community for everyone. Baton Rouge residents deserve to live in a community of peace. I am confident as we band together, we as a community can overcome these challenges for a better future."