BERNICE, La. (KTVE/KARD) — On Sunday, February 19, 2023, at approximately 1:30 AM, the Bernice Police Department requested assistance in Bernice from the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies. The Bernice Police Department officers advised that several people who were attending a bonfire event near the intersection of Willis Reed Street and West 2nd Street were injured due to being struck by a vehicle.
Before Union Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived on the scene, Bernice police officers uncovered a male victim nearby suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. The Union Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies, along with the Bernice Police Department, provided first aid to the injured people. There were five people in total that were struck by the vehicle, and the car was discovered in a nearby ditch.
The five injured victims were all transported to local hospitals to receive treatment. Their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
The investigation revealed that the gunshot victim was the driver of the vehicle that struck the five victims. The driver was suffering from serious injuries and taken to a Shreveport trauma center.
Sheriff Dusty Gates says they are going to do whatever they can to prevent this from happening again. Gates also shared that the sheriff’s office will work with the Bernice police chief and the city on this matter.
A crime scene was established, and the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office’s Criminal Investigations Division and Crime Scene Division deputies continue to investigate this incident. At this time, there is no suspect information available. More details will be released as the investigation continues.
