CLARENCE, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Two teens are in the hospital after a shooting at a community center in Clarence late Friday night, according to the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office.
It happened just before midnight Friday. While deputies were responding to a 911 call reporting shots fired at the Clarence Community Center on Lee Street, NPSO got a call from Natchitoches police requesting deputies respond to the Natchitoches Regional Medical Center for two patients suffering from gunshot wounds.
Deputies assigned to the NPSO Patrol Operations Bureau and Detectives assigned to the NPSO Criminal Investigations Bureau responded to two separate locations, the crime scene and Natchitoches Regional Medical Center.
Detectives and patrol deputies photographed and processed the crime scene and interviewed potential witnesses at the community center while a detective and patrol deputies interviewed the victims and processed a black Kia Optima with bullet holes found at the hospital.
Detectives learned during the preliminary stages of the investigation that two 17-year-old Natchitoches juveniles were standing outside a private party at the community center near their vehicle when an unknown gunman fired several rounds, striking both of them.
Both victims were taken from the scene by private vehicle to Natchitoches Regional Medical Center, one with gunshot wounds to the leg and one with a graze wound to the forehead. Both are expected to recover.
Detectives say there are no suspects at this time, however, they are in the early stages of the investigation and have several potential witnesses to interview, including submitting evidence collected at the scene to the crime lab for analysis.
Detectives say at this time, there is no obvious connection between this shooting and the homicide investigation conducted by the Natchitoches Police Department early Saturday morning.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office at 352-6432 or the NPSO Criminal Investigations Division at 357-7830.