The shooting happened just after 4 a.m. in Kenner, Louisiana, according to a statement the Kenner Police Department sent to Newsweek. Police say that both of the individuals who were shot are in stable condition.
According to the department, the residence was “struck multiple times with gunfire,” and officers who responded to the scene “found multiple bullet casings from three different caliber guns, littering the street.”
Police noted they investigated the shooting death of a 16-year-old at the same residence last July. A 15-year-old was arrested for second degree murder in connection with the teenager’s death.
“Four handguns were found during a search of the residence based on the homicide investigation,” the department said in the statement sent to Newsweek, referring to the July incident. “It is unknown at this time if the 2021 homicide is related to the recent shooting.”
The department noted that the investigation into the shooting is ongoing, and that officers are actively seeking information related to the incident.
Last weekend, the 4-year-old great niece of George Floyd was shot while sleeping in her bed on New Year’s Day. Arianna Delane, who lives in Houston, was struck in the torso, and as of Wednesday remained in the hospital in stable condition following surgery. Her family said she suffered a punctured lung and liver as well as three broken ribs.
In August, a 9-year-old boy in Georgia died in his bed after he was struck by bullet from a drive-by shooting. Police said the boy was asleep when a shooter in a nearby vehicle opened fire, striking the boy in the head.
According to Everytown for Gun Safety, an organization that advocates for gun control, firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teenagers in the U.S. The organization states that 18,000 children and teens are shot and killed or wounded each year, and a total of 3 million annually are exposed to gun violence.
“Children and teens in the U.S. are impacted by gun violence in all its forms. Exposure to gun violence has an impact on the psychological and mental well-being of children and teens and affects their school performance, among other factors,” the organization states.
