HOUMA, La. — The sign on Thirsty’s Bar in Houma now reads “closed for business.”
But in the early morning hours of Sunday, June 30, there was a chaotic scene outside the bar.
Crime camera video released by the Houma Police Department shows a crowd of people suddenly running out of Thirsty’s across the street to a field where they were parked.
Some of the patrons grabbed guns.
Houma Police Chief Travis Theriot says there was some sort of disturbance inside the bar moments before the mass exit.
“As a result of that disturbance, it continued to escalate, and a subject armed himself with a firearm,” Theriot said. “At that point in time another SUV pulls up and multiple subjects get out and a large exchange of gunfire occurs within that field.”
Three people were injured by gunfire, including a 49-year-old man wounded by a stray bullet outside a hotel about a quarter of a mile away.
“We’re very fortunate that no one was killed as a result of this,” Theriot said.
Police arrested Dontrelle Robertson, 27, shortly after the shooting.
A second suspect, Devon Randall, 34, was arrested Tuesday night in Port Arthur, Texas.
Police are still looking for Akeem Ross, 32, Sebastian Beck, 24, and Adrian Williams, 32.
A man who gave his name only as “Jim” has a business around the corner from the bar. He said the video of the shooting was alarming.
“I have my shop here and I spend a lot of late hours here, working and stuff. Yeah, it’s very frightening to see that happening.”
Chief Theriot says police have received many complaints about problems at Thirsty’s Bar in the past. So much so that the department installed a crime camera right across the street to keep tabs on activities there.
“We had at least three shootings at that location, and we had a subject that was accidentally shot by a firearm that was discharged and we had a murder in one weekend.
Police say all of the victims of the latest shooting are recovering from their injuries.
Investigators believe at least 5 people fired weapons in the Thirsty’s Bar shootout.
They all face multiple attempted second-degree murder and other gun charges.
Anyone with information about the shooting is encouraged to contact the Houma Police Department at 985-873-6371 or submit a tip anonymously through Crime Stoppers Bayou Region by phone at 1-800-743-7433 or online at www.crimestoppersbr.org.
► Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the IOS App Store or Google Play.