WESTWEGO, La. — An innocent bystander was killed on New Year's Eve in unincorporated Westwego when a stray bullet hit him as the owner of a stolen vehicle attempted to retrieve it.
Investigators with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office say hours before the fatal shooting, a vehicle was reported stolen in the 9000 block of Cindy Drive in Bridge City.
Later that evening, the owner of the stolen vehicle found it in a parking lot in the 900 block of Beechgrove Blvd.
When the owner attempted to retrieve their vehicle from that location, they were confronted by several suspects according to JPSO spokesperson Sergeant Brandon Veal.
One of the suspects fired a gun at the vehicle and one of the bullets pierced the window of a nearby apartment, hitting a man inside. That man died from his injury. The Jefferson Parish coroner later identified the victim as 32-year-old Corey Warmington.
Investigators believe the man killed was not involved in either the auto theft or the shooting.
At a press conference Tuesday, Sheriff Lopinto said the woman who owns the stolen vehicle found it in the parking lot and called 911. Deputies arrived on the scene and processed the incident but later left as the woman waited for a keysmith to arrive to make a new key so she could take back her vehicle.
"Jefferson Parish has been really lucky this year we ended the year with 31 homicides compared to what 49 The year before. So we're having a pretty peaceful year when it comes down to it but this one kind of just hits home," said Lopinto.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call our Homicide Section at 504-364-5300 or contact Crimestoppers.
► 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.