BATON ROUGE - Police spent much of a news conference Thursday tackling rumors that have surfaced on social media while police search for the person who killed LSU student Allie Rice.

Detectives took time during a joint news conference with the mayor's office — a briefing largely focused on addressing gang violence — to dispel false claims about the shooting, including speculation that Rice's killing was part of a "gang initiation."

"If we had any inkling that that was the case, we would put it out for safety of the public," Lt. Kevin Heinz said. "I can very confidently say that that was not the case."

Heinz, the head of BRPD's Violent Crimes Unit, also shot down reports alleging the department was not interviewing a witness to the crime. 

"That is absolutely incorrect," Lt. Kevin Heinz said in response to questions about the claims. "If there is somebody out there that has some information, please call us... We have talked to everyone that is willing to talk to us." 

District Attorney Hillar Moore echoed that stance earlier this week when he told WBRZ that investigators have vetted every tip and call that's come in so far. Heinz doubled down on that Thursday, calling the social media chatter a "hideous rumor."

"If anybody thinks that we're not taking any of these cases serious, they are gravely mistaken. If there's a witness out there that feels as though we haven't taken his report... He needs to get in touch with us," Lt. Heinz said. "I'm telling you right now. It is a rumor [to say] that we are ignoring a witness."

Police have only given snippets of information regarding the investigation since Rice was found shot to death in her car last week. The LSU senior was apparently stopped behind a train on Government Street when an unknown shooter fired a barrage of bullets into her vehicle.  

In the past week, multiple law enforcement officials have said that it doesn't appear Rice was specifically targeted for any particular reason, adding that her killing was a "random act of violence."