Harlan Kirgan
A series of shootings in Eunice are targeted, Eunice Police Chief Randy Fontenot said.
Eunice Police have responded to multiple reports about shots being fired since Sunday.
“It appears at this point that it is not random shootings. It appears the ones that we have been getting are targeted. We think it is some of the same players from last year because those people are out of jail now and back at it,” he said.
The city of Eunice has experienced sporadic gang shootings over the years.
The most recent shooting occurred late Tuesday night.
Shortly after midnight Tuesday, Eunice Police found 16 shell casings from a .223-caliber rifle in Joyce’s parking lot at East Maple and South Aymond.
Multiple buildings were struck in the shooting.
“From where the bullets struck it appears they were firing from at a vehicle traveling Maple Avenue,” Fontenot said.
Police are looking for video surveillance from the area.
“Like last year, we are going to get to the bottom of it,” Fontenot said.
“It is just a matter of time, but we are going to catch them. We are going to increase the number of officers at night and we are going to have a detail also working specifically for this,” he said.
On Tuesday, a parish-wide curfew was set from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.
The curfew alone won’t allow police to stop vehicles, he said.
“We are going to make use of the curfew to aid us in our investigation,” he added.
The police department’s radio dispatch logs include the following.
Sunday
22:18 Shots fired on West Maple, Acadia, Brenda, 6th and 5th.
22:23 Multiple casings found in the 300 block of Ulysse.
Monday
11:07 Lot of bullet holes in house and sofa in the 800 block of East Maple.
Tuesday
00:09 Shots fired at Crestview Apartments.
22:05 Shots fired at Beulah Gardens.
22:09 Shots fired into residence in the 700 block of South East Street.
22:14 Located multiple bullet holes in residence.
23:05 Bullet holes in residence in the 200 block of East Maple.
23:33 Bullet holes found at Peart Enterprises.
Wednesday
00:27 16 .223-caliber rounds found at East Maple and South Aymond in Joyce’s parking lot.