Gunman Opens Fire in Baton Rouge Mall Food Court

An active shooter opened fire Thursday inside the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry confirmed the shooting, which sent a heavy police presence to one of the state's largest retail centers.

"I am in coordination with law enforcement and we will update as we know more. Please avoid the area," Landry said in a statement posted to social media Thursday afternoon.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said the shooting occurred in the mall's food court. No information on casualties had been officially released as of early reporting, and police had not disclosed a suspect description or motive. Mall spokesperson Lindsay Kahn confirmed a shooting took place but referred all further questions to law enforcement.

The attack is the second instance of gun violence to strike Louisiana within a single week. On Sunday, a father fatally shot eight children — seven of them his own — in an assault that spread across two houses in a Shreveport neighborhood, according to Shreveport police. Two women, including the gunman's wife, were critically wounded in that attack.

Landry said he and his wife were grateful for the speed of law enforcement's response to the Baton Rouge mall incident.

The Mall of Louisiana, located on Bluebonnet Boulevard in Baton Rouge, is one of the largest shopping centers in the Gulf South and draws visitors from across the region.

The situation remained active and evolving as of this report. Law enforcement has not announced when the mall might reopen or when a full briefing would be held.

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