NEW ORLEANS — One of the men who was found dead after a 2-alarm house fire in the St. Claude neighborhood was shot, investigators said Friday morning.
Thursday night, a fire broke out at a home on the corner of Desire and Urquhart streets around 8:40 p.m., New Orleans Fire Department officials said. Within 10 minutes, a second alarm was called. Fifteen units carrying 45 firefighters responded to the scene, including responders from the State Fire Marshal's office and New Orleans EMS.
The fire was deemed under control shortly after 9 p.m. and a search of the home was conducted. That's where firefighters found one man dead toward the back of the home and another man dead in the middle bedroom.
The fire marshal's office and NOFD began investigating the cause of the deaths and fire and discovered evidence of foul play. Soon after, they found that one of the victims had a gunshot wound to the body.
The investigation was handed over to the New Orleans Police Department, who changed the ruling to a homicide for that victim. The other death was still unclassified as of Friday morning. Officials did not say which person was shot.
A motive for the killing, as well as the cause of the fire, is under investigation by authorities.
Neither victim will be identified until proper notification of their families by the Orleans Parish coroner, officials said.
No further information was immediately available.
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