NEW ORLEANS — A New Orleans East couple say they could've died after their house was shot up early this morning. They say more than a dozen bullets fled through their home.
Surveillance video shows a sedan slowly making it’s way down East Rockton Circle in New Orleans East, minutes before midnight. Then the flashes begin, those flashes are gunshots, more than a dozen of them fired into this home.
The homeowners, who asked we protect their identity, say bullets came within inches of one of the homeowners.
“I was in the bed watching TV, my husband was on the computer and I heard gunshots, I can't tell you how many just ‘pop pop pop’. I didn’t think much of it because they are always shooting. But then he jumped up and said ‘they shooting in here, they shooting in here,’” one of the homeowners told Eyewitness News. “The bullet just narrowly escaped his head.”
The bullets went through the front window, through the study, into the bathroom wall, then through the tiles in the shower – into the ensuite bathroom. Bullets also went through the front door, shattering the glass.
"I don’t know who it was or why they were shooting in here, I just figured they had the wrong house, mistook this house for someone else’s, it was a very scary thing,” the homeowners asked.
New Orleans Police are calling this an aggravated criminal damage to property incident and they believe two people were in the car.
“We collected some ballistic evidence, we’re still looking at video evidence as it relates to this matter,” Capt. Wayne DeLarge said. “We’re unsure the motive at this time based upon the video, this house did appear to be the target residence. However that is still under investigation as to why and how this house and who, who did this.”
Councilman Oliver Thomas says after hearing about the shooting he was shocked this even happened
"These people are in the twilight of their life, they’re not involved in any street activity,” Thomas said. “What if this is your grandmother or your mother? Or your grandfather? Do they ever think that?"
“Even if we’re not involved in their gang or retaliation foolishness they don’t mind hurting us, why are they still on the street,” Thomas said.
As for the two native New Orleanians, who’ve lived in this house for 24 years, they’re now thinking about moving.
“I was already afraid to go out, you can’t go to the store, you can't get gas, you can't really do anything, if you do you have to be home before dark now with this happening, I am afraid to walk out the door.”
If you know who owns the sedan or you know anything about this shooting, you're urged to contact NOPD or Crimestoppers.
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