Police search for more suspects after deadly Louisiana mall shooting

Investigators are still piecing together how a daytime argument inside the Mall of Louisiana turned into gunfire that killed one person and wounded five others, sending shoppers and workers scrambling through one of Baton Rouge’s busiest retail centers.

The shooting erupted around 1:22 p.m. Thursday near the food court after two groups got into a dispute, police said. Baton Rouge Police Chief T.J. Morse described it as a targeted shooting, not a random attack, and said investigators believed handguns were used. One handgun was recovered at the scene.

Police initially said 10 people had been hurt, then revised the total to six victims. Five suspects were in custody for questioning, but investigators said more people may have been involved and asked the public to send in videos and contact Crimestoppers. Morse said the victims were not believed to be suspects.

Officials said three of the victims were high school seniors from Ascension Episcopal School in Lafayette, a detail that sharpened concern across the region because the shooting hit teenagers in the middle of prom season. Morse said some of the injured were hospitalized, including one person who underwent surgery, while others had minor injuries and some were later discharged.

The mall was placed on lockdown after the gunfire and remained closed afterward. The shutdown underscored how quickly a confrontation in a crowded commercial space can spiral into a mass-casualty scene, with frightened shoppers and employees forced to shelter in place while officers secured the property.

The Mall of Louisiana, which opened in 1997, is the largest mall in Louisiana and a major shopping destination for the Baton Rouge area. Located near Interstate 10 and Bluebonnet Boulevard, the center draws steady foot traffic for shopping, dining and entertainment, including an adjacent AMC theater and full-service restaurants. Its size and layout make the food court and surrounding common areas especially sensitive points for security and emergency response when violence breaks out.

In a statement, the mall said it was “heartbroken and angered” that the shopping center was the site of the shooting and said it was working closely with Baton Rouge police. For investigators, the immediate task is identifying everyone involved in the dispute and determining how a confrontation between two groups escalated so fast in the middle of a crowded weekday afternoon.