At least eight people have been shot on interstates in New Orleans so far this year, according to information from police.
Related: What police, officials are doing about interstate shootings
Attacks on the highway make up a relatively small percentage of total shootings in the city, but during the past several years, they've become increasingly common.
Last year, at least 30 people were shot on interstates and highways in New Orleans, according to authorities. Seven of the shootings were fatal.
The numbers only include shootings that involve death or injury and were reported to police. Some residents say their vehicles have been shot while they were driving on the interstate, but official numbers for that kind of damage were not immediately available.
Map of 2023 interstate shootings
These are the addresses where New Orleans police say the interstate shootings happened in 2023.
Can't see the map? View here.
Who is shooting?
Social media speculation has been swirling for more than a year that the increase in shootings is due to a single person, like a sniper.
New Orleans police on Feb. 24 reiterated their stance that they don't believe the shootings are from a single source.
There's "absolutely no evidence" to indicate any of the shootings are related, NOPD spokesperson Karen Boudrie said.
Related: Interstate shootings are 'out of hand,' drivers say
Law enforcement sources have previously said the interstate shootings have different vehicles, types of weapons and physical descriptions of attackers.
They say the shootings usually fall into three categories:
- interactions between motorists that escalated into road rage
- pre-existing feuds where shooters are targeting someone they know
- someone caught in the crossfire
Limited details about suspects
Details from police about the interstate shootings are generally limited and rarely include vehicle descriptions.
Surveillance images, if they exist, are rarely released publicly.
Police say the investigations remain active and ongoing. They ask anyone with information - "even if it is something that may seem insignificant" - to report it by calling Crimestoppers at (504) 822-1111.
Breakdown of each interstate shooting in 2023
These are the interstate and highway shootings that were reported to New Orleans police in 2023. The details come from preliminary information from authorities and could change as the investigation progresses.
Feb. 22: A 25-year-old man was shot twice while driving on I-10 East near the Louisa Street exit. The man told police he was in the left lane around noon when a man driving behind him started honking his horn. The 25-year-old sped up to give the other man room. But, the other man drove alongside him, lowered his window and opened fire, hitting the man twice, police said. The man was taken via ambulance to a hospital.
Feb. 20: A woman was shot in the head around 5:30 p.m. in the westbound lanes of I-10 near Crowder Boulevard. The gunfire originated on the service road, where police said two men were fatally shot and then crashed into the woman's vehicle on I-10. Two other people in her vehicle were injured in the crash.
Feb. 19: A man was shot on I-10 West around 10 p.m. near Louisa Street. He was a passenger in a vehicle when someone pulled alongside him and fired several shots. The man was hit at least once and taken to a hospital, where his condition wasn't immediately available.
Feb. 12: A woman was shot around 10:50 p.m. on Interstate 10 East near Almonaster Avenue. The woman told police she was traveling on the interstate when a red, four-door vehicle pulled alongside her and opened fire. She was hit and went to a hospital. Her condition was not immediately available.
Jan. 29: A 23-year-old man was shot in the neck on I-10 East near Read Boulevard. He told police he was in a vehicle on the interstate when a black sedan pulled alongside him and an occupant fired at him. He exited the interstate and flagged down an officer around 2:45 p.m. He was taken to a hospital.
Jan. 27: A 21-year-old man was shot on I-10 East near Dwyer Road, police say. He told authorities he was in his car when another vehicle pulled up next to him and someone inside opened fire. The man was shot in his wrist and drove himself to a hospital. He arrived at the hospital just before 6 p.m. and the police were notified.
Jan. 27: A 21-year-old man was shot on Interstate 10 East near Bullard Avenue. He showed up at a hospital around 2 a.m., seeking treatment for a gunshot wound to his knee. He told police he was driving in the eastbound lanes of I-10 when someone opened fire at his vehicle.
Jan. 2: A 22-year-old man was shot on Interstate 10 West at the Orleans Avenue exit near downtown New Orleans. He drove himself to a hospital and got there around 10:30 p.m., when the shooting was reported to police. He told police he was driving west when his vehicle was hit multiple times by gunfire.
Editor's note: This story will be updated throughout the year if additional shootings are reported. It was last updated Feb. 24.