NEW ORLEANS — One moment they were waiting for the bus, like any other day. The next, they were caught in storm of gunfire, hit and rushed to the hospital in the back of an ambulance.
That's what happened to five innocent bystanders who were wounded in New Orleans' Central Business District during a gun battle between police and an armed robbery suspect.
It all started around 6:45 p.m. Sunday night as NOPD officers confronted a person of interest in an armed robbery investigation near Canal Street and Elk Place.
According to the NOPD, the suspect, identified as 32-year-old Reginald Bursey, pulled out a gun and open fired at officers. An undercover detective and a uniformed officer shot back.
Five people waiting at a nearby bus stop were struck and wounded by bullets.
The exchange of gunfire spilled over two blocks to the intersection of Elk Place and Tulane Avenue.
That's where a Louisiana State Police trooper exchanged gunfire with Bursey and wounded him.
Bursey was taken to University Medical Center where he later died.
NOPD Superintendent Sean Ferguson said it is to early to determine whose bullets struck the bystanders.
"The biggest thing you need to think about is these officers were fired upon first," Ferguson said. "So, to preserve life, not just their life, but the public's life they have to return fire. They have to respond to calls like this, like that in that manner."
The chief added that Bursey was wanted in connection to two recent violent crimes in the Central City neighborhood.
He was accused of carjacking a woman on Saturday near the corner of Carondelet and Josephine streets.
Bursey was also suspected in an attempted carjacking and armed robbery in the 1700 block of Clio Street on Feb. 8.
Scott Hathorn, a sales associate at the nearby Alack Superstore, said he saw Bursey running from that scene.
"When I first made eye contact with him, he just gave me this stare and that's when I realized that I needed to just step back," Hathorn said.
Hathorn said after hearing that Bursey fired on police, he's glad he didn't approach the suspect.
"He looked like he was up to no good," Hathorn said. "There was something going on. I felt like he may or may not have a gun."
According to the NOPD, three officers fired their weapons including a detective and two uniformed officers at Canal and Elk. A fourth Louisiana State Trooper also shot the suspect at Tulane Avenue and Elk following a chase on foot.
Officials said they are now out of the field and on desk duty while the incident is investigated.