Mardi Gras celebrations took a turn for the worse Saturday, when a shooting injured four on historic Bourbon Street. Cutting through New Orleans’ French Quarter, Bourbon Street is a central hub for Mardi Gras partiers. Crowds scattered on Saturday night when four shots erupted from an argument in the street. Police are searching for a group of three men involved in the shooting, which was recorded by a witness.
One man was in guarded condition after being shot in the abdomen, thigh and pelvis, while another male victim was shot in the buttocks. Two women are also among the injured, one suffering from a shot to the toe, and the other with wounds to her chin and foot.
“Everyone immediately started running and the cops immediately started running toward where people were running from,” Louisiana State University student Patrick Clay told the Times-Picayune. “I was with a group of about seven people and at that point, we all just kind of grasped hands and made our way through the crowd as soon as possible.”
Even after the shooting, the party continued for some visitors. Mardi Gras celebrations will continue through Feb. 12, Fat Tuesday. The city also hosted this year’s Super Bowl, bringing in even more tourists for the holiday.
“It’s not an OK thing that happened, and it’s definitely scary. But I’m not going to let it affect my night,” visitor Julia Rosenthal told the Associated Press.
