DISCLAIMER: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
UPDATE: On Wednesday, the NOPD announced that 18-year-old Zyaire A. Cornelius was arrested in connection to the shooting of a toddler at the Costco gas station.
The NOPD says Cornelius was questioned by detectives after being detained on Tuesday. Through questioning, NOPD detectives determined the 18-year-old to be a suspect in the shooting and obtained an arrest warrant.
Information regarding how the shooting happened and Cornelius’ relation to the child have not been released.
While searching the black sedan Cornelius was driving, police add that they found a Glock and an AR-15, one of which had been reported stolen.
Cornelius was booked into the Orleans Justice Center on one count of possession of a stolen firearm and second-degree cruelty to a juvenile. He is being held on a $70,000 bond that consists of $30,000 for the juvenile cruelty charge and $40,000 for possession of a stolen firearm.
Details released by the NOPD also revealed that the child’s age is two years old, refuting previous reports that the child is one.
Police continue to investigate the incident. Anyone with additional information in the investigation is urged to contact NOPD’s Child Abuse Unit at 504-658-5267.
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)— New Orleans Police were actively working a scene at the Costco gas station in Carrollton after a toddler was shot on Tuesday.
According to the NOPD, the shooting happened in the 3900 block of Dublin Street near the intersection of Palmetto Street and South Carrollton Avenue. Early reports say just before 4 p.m., a one-year-old child was transported to an area hospital with a gunshot wound to the leg.
The child was last reported to be in critical but stable condition.
Details on how the child was shot were unclear, however, police say a weapon was recovered from the scene and multiple people were detained for questioning. According to a statement, NOPD reports that the incident is not believed to be a ‘random act of violence.’
The gas station was surrounded with police tape, while a black sedan with a door open sat at one of the fuel pumps as detectives worked the scene.
WGNO’s Anna McAllister spoke to a man who was leaving Costco when the incident happened and saw police rush to the scene along with two firetrucks. Another person was seen reportedly being handcuffed by police at the scene.
This is a developing story with updates to come as more information becomes available. Check back to WGNO.com for the latest.