At least 11 people shot and wounded in New Orleans: Chaos in the French Quarter as gunman opens fire into crowds in the street and just ‘feet’ away from cops after the Bayou Classic football game

• A suspect opened fire on Canal Street in New Orleans’ French Quarter just before 3.30am Sunday
• At least 11 people were shot and two were hospitalized in critical condition
• NOPD Supt Shaun Ferguson confirmed that a person of interest was detained 
• A heightened police presence was already in place in the area due to the Bayou Classic between Grambling State University and Southern University
• Officers said they were just a few feet away from the shooting and initially thought they were being fired at

At least 11 people have been shot on Canal Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans.

A suspect opened fire in the neighborhood known for its nightlife just before 3.30am Sunday.

Two of the victims were hospitalized in critical condition. One had been shot in the chest and the other in the torso.

NOPD Supt Shaun Ferguson confirmed that a person of interest has been detained. He emphasized that it’s unclear what involvement, if any, the person of interest had in the shooting.

No arrests have been made as of 8.30am local time.

A heightened police presence was already in place in the area because of the Bayou Classic rivalry football game between Grambling State University and Southern University on Saturday night.

Officers said they were just a few feet away from the shooting and initially thought they were being fired at but couldn’t tell where the shots were coming from.

No details are known about what led up to the shooting. An investigation is ongoing as detectives collect witness statements and surveillance footage near the scene on the 700 block of Canal Street between Bourbon and Royal streets.

The victim’s identities, ages and genders have not been released, but officials said no officers were injured.

Police originally reported 10 victims as five were taken to University Hospital and five others were taken to Tulane Hospital. The victim count was increased to 11 when another person walked in to an area hospital after having been transported there in a private vehicle.

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