NEW ORLEANS — According to New Orleans police, shots were fired around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday morning in the 4300 block of Chef Menteur Highway.
When officers arrived on the scene, they found a man dead on the ground. He was shot multiple times near a bus shelter next to the Gentilly Walmart.
Nathaniel McClendon was working on a car at the Chef Auto Express across the street.
“About five, about 5 gunshots,” he said.
McClendon says after the shooting, he saw a man fall to the ground at the bus stop.
“Everybody was just running from the bus stop. So, I don’t know who was who and what was what, I just saw people running. That’s it.”
NOPD Deputy Chief Hans Ganthier says investigators had information that the shooter ran into the Walmart after the gunfire.
“At that time, our officers responded there and did a quick lockdown,” Ganthier said. “Our units came into the store to protect the people who were still there.”
Lowell Pedescleaux was in the store at the time.
“Just normal everyday shopping and then all of a sudden everybody has to get out, then we stopped right there until the police were ready to let us go.,” Pedescleaux said.
Some Walmart employees and customers watched from the parking lot as the NOPD SWAT team searched the store looking for the shooter.
“We debriefed everybody at the front door and let them out, five at a time and our tactical unit was able to go into the store and clear the store where there was no one in there,” Ganthier said. “Apparently, the perpetrator escaped.”
Apparently, the suspect escaped into the surrounding neighborhood where officers continued the search.
Police did not release a good description of the man but said he took off the sweatshirt he was wearing at the time of the shooting.
They also said they have video of the gunman and may release some images to the media.
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