Shooting at Louisiana Nightclub Leaves 12 People Injured; Cops Call It 'Targeted' Attack

A shooting at a Bouton Rouge, Louisiana, nightclub early Sunday morning has left 12 people injured and a suspect still at large, in what cops call a “targeted” attack, according to reports.

The mass shooting happened inside the Dior Bar and Lounge around 1:30 a.m., according to police. Authorities said that luckily, officers were standing outside of the bar when the shots were fired and immediately rushed in to respond to the threat.

Cops say that 12 people were shot and that nine of the victims sustained non-life-threatening injuries, but three of the victims are in critical condition.

All of those who were shot were taken to nearby hospitals, where 11 of the victims are still currently getting treatments. One person has been released, according to WAFB.

Investigators believe there was a single shooter and are “working leads” to identify the gunman and analyzing video to determine what caused the incident, according to WAFB.

Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul spoke to reporters Sunday evening to give updates as to what happened at Dior Bar.

"At this point, we can say that it is believed to be a targeted attack. This was not just a random act of someone showing up and randomly shooting citizens of Baton Rouge,” he said. “This was not a random act of violence. We believe this was a targeted event – that someone was specifically targeted and others were also injured in that process."

Chief Paul said that anyone who knows anything about what occurred to please reach out to authorities.

"There is someone who knows something," said Paul. "Do the right thing. You can save the next incident because it is obvious that this person has a total disregard for life."

Following the news of the shooting, Baton Rouge Mayor Sharon Weston Broome took to Twitter to say, “The shooting that happened overnight at a local venue was a senseless act of violence that will not go unchecked.”

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