WEST MONROE, La. (KTVE/KARD) – The West Monroe Police are investigating a shooting outside the Tinseltown Movie Theater that left one person injured.
According to officials, the shooting happened on the east side of the movie theater on Saturday 5th. Stains of transfer of blood are visible from one corner going all the way down to a ditch.
There is also a pool of blood on the side of the ditch which police say belongs to the victim who was trying to flee the scene on foot.
Police say the shooting took place shortly after 8 p.m. out in the parking lot right behind the movie theater. A local resident recalls the moment when it happened.
“I heard four gunshots and they were really really loud and fast. We heard a little bit of screaming or something, I think. And we saw police coming over here. There were a bunch of them.” Says a resident, Dustin.
Officials say the shooting involves Monroe people associated with gangs, mostly juveniles.
Although police say it is unclear why the group met there, an altercation between the groups caused one of them to shoot fire injuring one of the juveniles on his ankle.
Police say after shots were fired, the group scattered and fled the scene.
“It’s like a vicious cycle that our young people get caught up in. There is still blood on the ground and everything.” Says Dustin.
A bloody footprint remains visible on the ground. Officials say the victim tried to flee the scene while bleeding from his ankle, but he was later taken to a local hospital with serious conditions. The suspect fled the scene.
Police say this was an isolated incident, and no one inside the building was threatened during the shooting.
“We do have good police enforcement around here.” Says another local resident, Idan Swanner
“This is a very safe area. This does not happen all the time. I guess it is one of those things that happen every now and then.” Swanner added.
The West Monroe Police says the shooting remains under investigation.
