UPDATE 9/21/2022— On Wednesday morning, Oliver Thomas’s Office told WGNO that his niece was the woman injured in the shooting. According to Oliver Thomas, his niece was shot in the head and is in critical condition on life support.

Councilmember Thomas says his niece was driving her boyfriends car at the time of the shooting. The woman reportedly suffered wounds to her head and face and is currently on life support.

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)— New Orleans Police began working a double shooting that left one person dead and another injured on Tuesday.

Just before 3:30 p.m., the NOPD was called to the 7100 block of Chef Mentueur Highway in New Orleans East. When police arrived, they found one victim shot dead inside a blue sedan. Another female shooting victim was rushed to an area hospital and listed in critical condition. The victims’ identities were not disclosed but are said to be in their 20’s.

Eyewitness Chris Ashabarner recalls the moments the shots rang out.

“All of the sudden I hear gunshots, and you look across the street and the gunmen just started shooting up the car, you know? It looked like they had regular guns but with the long clips on them and then just shooting it up like bang, bang, bang and then just walked to the car and just drove off like it was nothing,” said Ashabarner.

Dozens of evidence markers scattered across the parking lot where the bullet casings fell. Loved ones of the victims collapsing with grief upon receiving the news.

Witnesses tell us the shooting went on for a few minutes and they were ducking for cover fearing for their lives.

“It scared me to death. We were ducking and scrambling around to get, you know, so the bullets didn’t come this way. those bullets could’ve gone anywhere, bullets don’t have a name or anything, they just go flying where they want to go,” said Ashabarner.

The NOPD is in the process of gathering evidence and information in order to determine a possible suspect and motive. Anyone with additional information on this incident is asked to contact Homicide detectives at (504) 658-5300 or call anonymously to Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans at 504-822-1111.