KILLONA, La. (WGNO) — St. Charles Parish Sheriff Greg Champagne says five people shot Tuesday night (Nov. 9) were “ambushed.” He says an unknown number of assailants “sneaked up” on the victims, who were standing in front of a convenience store in the small town of Killona.

Sheriff Champagne also says the shooting appears to be connected to a “cycle” of gang violence – not only in St. Charles Parish, but also in St. James and St. John the Baptist.

In a news conference Wednesday, a visibly frustrated Champagne pleaded with the community to name the gunmen, or risk another “vindictive” shooting in “retribution.”

He said that he’s been meeting regularly with his counterparts in the other two parishes, as they try to learn the identities of the gunmen in nearly a dozen shootings across all three parishes in recent months.

Fatally shot Tuesday night was Darzil Washington, 29. His brother, Darville Washington, 32, was airlifted to University Medical Center in New Orleans in critical but stable condition. Dwayne Williams, 27, was also airlifted to UMC in critical condition. Jayvon Lockett, 35, was taken to UMC in stable condition. And a 14-year old boy was taken to Children’s Hospital in stable condition.

Detectives say that each of the victims had been shot “multiple times.”

Anyone with information that could help the investigation is asked to call Crimestoppers at (504) 822-1111.