HAMMOND, La. — An innocent woman was tragically killed in a shocking act of gun violence after suspects unleashed a barrage of 70 to 80 gunshots into a vehicle at a gas station, authorities confirmed.
According to police, the incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday at a Chevron gas station, where the victim, 50-year-old Patricia Shepard, was sitting inside a car when gunmen opened fire. Investigators believe the attackers mistakenly targeted the vehicle, thinking their intended victim was inside.
Hammond Police Chief Edwin Bergeron Jr. described the killing as a case of mistaken identity, emphasizing that Shepard had no involvement in the situation.
“She was an absolute innocent victim,” Bergeron said. “She was not involved.”
Authorities revealed that prior to the shooting, the suspects had been following a vehicle linked to their intended target. At some point, the individual they were pursuing exited the car at a separate location and left in another vehicle.
Unaware of this, the suspects continued trailing the original car as it traveled to the gas station.
Police say that when the driver of the vehicle exited and went inside the store, the suspects pulled up alongside the parked car and began firing multiple rounds into it.
Shepard, who remained inside the vehicle, was struck and killed during the attack.
Investigators believe at least two to three suspects were involved in the shooting. The suspects were reportedly traveling in a white 2008 Honda Civic that had been stolen in Pike County, Mississippi. The vehicle is said to be missing a front passenger window and bears Mississippi license plate number PJY050.
Law enforcement officials are actively searching for the suspects and reviewing evidence, including surveillance footage and ballistic materials recovered from the scene.
“We will not rest until individuals responsible for this senseless act are brought to justice,” Bergeron said. “To take the life of an innocent person because of mistaken identity is unacceptable.”
Authorities are urging anyone with information related to the incident to contact the Hammond Police Department or submit anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers.
As the investigation continues, the Hammond community remains shaken by the violence and is mourning the loss of a woman whose life was taken in a moment of tragic error.
Patricia Shepard is remembered as an innocent victim whose life was cut short in a senseless act of violence. Her death has sparked renewed calls for justice and accountability.