SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Just hours after a mass shooting in Shreveport that left at least 4 dead and many others wounded, District A Councilwoman Tabatha Taylor addressed the public at a media event Wednesday morning.
Shreveport City Council members Taylor and Dr. Alan Jackson were joined by Mayor Tom Arceneaux, Chief Smith, State Rep. Cedric Glover, and other elected officials were on hand to update the community on a shooting that happened just before midnight on Jones Mabry Road in the MLK Neighborhood.
Chief Smith asked that members of the community come forward with information about the mass shooting that disrupted an annual Fourth of July gathering in the neighborhood. He even made a plea to those who perpetrated this tragedy that he called, “a horrible night.”
“Come to see us, give us a call,” Smith said.
According to Smith, two groups of males exchanged gunfire, striking innocent partygoers.
Taylor said she and the council are asking for law enforcement to take an aggressive and collaborative approach to bring the shooters to justice.
“I have asked law enforcement – Caddo Sheriff’s, City Marshal, U.S. Marshal’s and other law enforcement to work with SPD to find those responsible,” Taylor said.
She also asked that anyone with information come forward to help SPD make arrests, asking witnesses to share info.
Taylor also noted that the city council will move swiftly to add cameras to the interior portions of neighborhoods throughout the city.
Representative Glover noted that reducing the number of mass shootings and homicides in Shreveport is a multi-agency effort that stretches across parish or state boundaries, and elected offices.
“We have to recognize this as a problem across the board,” Glover said.
Chief Smith also noted that SPD has “interesting strategies” in the works that are showing good results.
An emotional Taylor said “And I am looking for justice for these families. And I want this justice to reflect full prosecution, no sympathy, no empathy because you gave no empathy to the people you hurt. None”
