SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – The Shreveport Police responded to a shooting at the State Fair of Louisiana that left a juvenile in critical condition.
Late Saturday evening around 9:16 p.m., the SPD was called after a shooting on Pershing Blvd. near the Bar Down Lounge, Ag Center, and north side of the Hirsch Memorial Coliseum. 14 units responded to the scene.
A woman on Twitter said that a boy beside her and her son was shot. A male juvenile was shot once in the abdomen and taken to Ochsner LSU with life-threatening injuries. Shreveport Councilman Jerry Bowman told KTAL/KMSS staff that he is in surgery, but more is not known yet.
Our staff on scene report the fair has been evacuated. Other witnesses have also confirmed the fair was closed after the shooting.
Police say they have detained multiple people.
The State Fair has 375-450,000 people attend each year on average. It opened on Oct. 28 and runs until Nov. 14. The Hirsch Memorial Coliseum is hosting the LRCA Finals Rodeo from Nov. 5- 7.
Councilman Bowman says “I think this will stop some people from coming to the fair. I hate to say that. I wish it wouldn’t. But this will definitely stop some people from coming to the fair.” They don’t know if it is gang-related yet, but there were some conversations about some gang signs being done, he told reporters.
A family member who was attending the fair called him when the shooting happened not far from them. He could hear the panicked crowd through the phone. “I’m really ailing and aching, and don’t understand the mentality of people right now,” Bowman said.
This is a developing story. More information will be released as it becomes available.