Four people are recovering after a shooting at a Hammond High School graduation ceremony on Thursday.
Hammond Police say the shooting happened at around 8:15 pm as students were leaving the Southeastern University Center at the conclusion of ceremonies.
No children or students were injured in the shooting. A suspect was taken into custody.
On Friday morning, police updated on the investigation saying that at some point following the ceremony there was an altercation between the suspect and another person, a juvenile.
Police said the two people were firing at each other. They are investigating gang affiliation as a motive.
They know the victims who were shot had nothing to do with the shooting or altercation. Three people were injured by gunshots and one person remains in the hospital in stable condition. A fourth person received an injury as they were fleeing the scene of the shooting.
More arrests are expected in this incident, they say.
Police say the two involved were at the graduation ceremony but not involved in the ceremony. The juvenile, police say, was previously a student at Hammond High, police say.
The Superintendent of Tangipahoa Parish public schools Melissa Stilley said on Thursday that the graduation went on as normal and it was only after, as students and families were leaving the ceremony, that shots were fired.
"This should have been a happy occasion. And we pray for the families that were impacted directly and students who will always have this memory of this graduation on their minds," she said.
Security at the graduation responded to the scene and will be continuing to assist with the investigation.
The four injured received non-life-threatening injuries, police say.
On Friday morning, Governor Edwards issued a statement about the shooting, calling it "senseless violence."
Last night senseless violence disrupted what was supposed to be a joyous celebration for our young people at Hammond High School. Please join me and @FirstLadyOfLA in praying for those who were injured.
— John Bel Edwards (@LouisianaGov) May 20, 2022
See the press conference with police below:
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