Patrols stepped up in neighborhoods after shootings

After a shooting Tuesday left three people wounded, patrols were increased with the help of St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s deputies and reserve officers, Eunice Police Chief Randy Fontenot said.
“I’m still waiting for some retaliation,” he said. “Maybe we can hold them off long enough they might cool off and go somewhere else or leave it alone,” he said.
The additional patrols were to continue through the weekend.
Jamie Ned, 17, also known as Jamie Freeman, of North Cane Street, Eunice, is accused of wounding a 7-year-old boy in a shooting at about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday near Golden Seafood on East Maple Avenue.
Ned has been charged with five counts of attempted first-degree murder.
The boy, who was shot in the hip, has been treated and released from Acadian Medical Center, Fontenot said.
About two hours at later two men, identified as the uncles of the wounded boy, were shot in the 200 block of Minerva Street.
Police believe Ned was the gunman in that shooting.
The wounded men, who remained in the hospital Friday, were Clarence Mitchell, 29, and Travis Mitchell, 30, Fontenot said.
“Our belief is that when they found out, because of the timing and everything, when they found out this 7-year-old nephew had been shot they went out in search of the shooter,” Fontenot said.
“They found the shooter and they also became his victims. They tried to take the law into their hands instead of letting us handle it. It turned bad. They nearly lost their lives doing it,” he said.
Fontenot said the men were not in their vehicle when they were wounded. Fontenot also said they were not armed.
In the first shooting, the targets were Dustin “Goldmouth” Johnson and Christie Cortina Johnson, Fontenot said. The are both in their 20s, he said
Neither were injured, he said.
A .40-caliber pistol was believed to be used in both incidents, he said. As of Friday, no weapon had been recovered.
The shooter was on foot when he fired at least four rounds at the people in the car, Fontenot said.
The shooter also was on foot at the second shooting, he said.
“There has been some bad blood in the past. Past incidents that they were involved in that we believe were probably retaliation-type stuff,” Fontenot said.
“You want to call it turf wars,” he said.
Fontenot said drugs are the root of the problem that resulted in the shootings.
Ned was arrested about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday at Howard’s Inn on U.S. 190 where two rooms were occupied, he said.
Eunice Police were joined by city marshals and sheriff’s deputies for the arrest.
Fontenot said more arrests may be made as the investigation continues.