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Police chief says no reason to be alarmed despite 8 shootings in a week

7 years 4 weeks 1 day ago Friday, February 17 2017 Feb 17, 2017 February 17, 2017 11:19 PM February 17, 2017 in News
Source: WBRZ

BATON ROUGE - There have been eight shootings in Baton Rouge in just one week. Five people were hurt and four others were killed.  

Baton Rouge Police Department Chief Carl Dabadie said despite a violent week in the city, there is no reason for residents to be alarmed.

"We have increased patrols in all the areas that we've had these issues," Dabadie said. "We've also stepped up our street operations and were working with several different agencies to assist us with this stuff."

On Monday, three shootings in three separate locations left three victims dead. Dabadie said there is reason to believe these shootings were connected.

"There are some similarities to those three shootings that we are currently working," Dabadie acknowledged. "We're still working on the investigation. We're confident that we will find the shooters in this."

More investigators have been assigned to that specific case.

Thursday evening, a man and women were shot in their car in the 2500 block of Finch Street. Liz Irving lives in that area.

"It was a big shock to us just to hear that shooting like that," Irving said, "so close, right near my home."

Another shooting Thursday evening sent a young woman to the hospital with serious injuries after an altercation on Evangeline Street.

Despite these acts of violence, Dabadie said they are not random, and there is no reason for residents to be alarmed. He said the city is not becoming more dangerous.

"I don't think we have a reason to be concerned," Dabadie said. "I don't think anything is spiking or getting out of control. We've had several incidents that have happened in a week's time span, and like I said, three of those were related to each other."

There have been eight murders in Baton Rouge in 2017. In 2016, the city experienced the lowest homicide total in more than ten years.

However, trying to get a comment from some city leaders was harder than expected.

WBRZ News 2's Earl Phelps was originally scheduled to speak with East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome around 3:30 p.m. Friday.  After waiting to begin, Phelps was informed Mayor Broome would not be speaking with him.

Phelps was then directed to speak with Dabadie.

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