Innocent woman killed by gunmen who fired 70 to 80 shots at wrong target, police say
An innocent woman was killed when gunmen fired 70 to 80 bullets into a car at a Louisiana gas station, apparently believing that their target was in the car, according to police.
Hammond police said the gunmen's alleged target had been in the car before the shooting, but not at the time of the shooting.
Before the gunfire erupted early Thursday, the suspects were stalking a car at a farm, Hammond Police Chief Edwin Bergeron Jr. said at a news conference.
"At some point [the alleged target] was in the vehicle, and then exited the vehicle to ride with someone else," Bergeron said.
The victim's car then left the farm and went to a Chevron gas station, the chief said, and the suspects followed.
When the driver of the victim's car got out and went inside the gas station, the suspects' car "pulled up next to it ... and began shooting," Bergeron said.
The suspects fired between 70 and 80 shots, taking the life of 50-year-old Patricia Shepard, who was sitting in the car, Bergeron said.
She was an "absolute innocent victim," the chief said. "She was not involved."
Bergeron said investigators are searching for at least two or three suspects.
"We will not rest until the scumbags like this go to jail ... for them to roll up and kill an innocent woman in a car because they thought it was somebody else," he said.
The suspects were driving a white 2008 Honda Civic that was stolen in Pike County, Mississippi, on Tuesday, police said. The car has a Mississippi license plate number PJY050 and is missing a front passenger window, police said.
Authorities urge anyone with information to call the Hammond Police Department at 985-277-5755 or the Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at 1-800-554-5245.
