Nearly routine shootings have returned to some areas of Eunice in what may be a case of competing gangs.
Police Chief Randy Fontenot said arrests are pending as investigations continue into the shootings.
“I can’t say a whole lot about it because of the sensitive nature of the information we are getting right now,” he said on Tuesday.
On April 30, police investigated a report of shots being fired in the 500 block of East Maple, Corn and Richard streets at about 11:30 a.m. At about 1 p.m. more shots were reported on Carron Street.
Evidence has been recovered at some of the shooting scenes, Fontenot said.
“It is pretty much the same stuff we had last year. Same people. Same players,” he said.
“They don’t like each other. I think it part of it is drug related and turf related,”he said.
On April 23, a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old male were wounded in a shooting that occurred about 7:30 p.m. in the 400 block of East Maple.
One juvenile was critically injured and flown to a Lafayette hospital for treatment. The other was treated at Acadian Medical Center and released.
Fontenot said the youth who was critically injured has been released from the hospital.
The shooting occurred during a fighting involving several people.
The shootings are mostly confined East Maple, Benoit, Corn and Cotton areas in southeast Eunice, he said. The other area is on St. Joseph Street on the northside of U.S. 190 and on the east side of the city, he said.
In one incident in March, police found more than 16 .223-caliber shell casings at the intersection of La. 13 and East Maple. Multiple buildings were struck by gunfire.
Recent police radio dispatch logs included the following.
April 29
17:49 Possible shots heard near North Mallet and Beulah Street area.
April 30
11:35 Shots being fired in the 500 block of East Maple
11:35 Subject advised that shots were fired on Corn Street.
11:36 Shots fired on East Maple and Richard.
13:04 Shots fired in the area of Carron Street.
21:49 Caller said female has a gun in gray car.
May 2
22:00 Heard multiple shots in the area of Bacchiochi.
May 3
14:08 Report from Cane and North of a vehicle passing and shooting in the area.
14:10 Caller advised of two vehicles with subject inside shooting at each other. Call came from area of Ronnie’s Bar, and Crestview Apartments.
14:37 Caller from Eunice Poultry advised of a shooting and they have camera.
May 5
00:33 Shots fired on East Vine.
