Two of the victims in the quadruple shooting in East Riverside on Wednesday (Oct. 6) afternoon have died, the New Orleans Police Department reported.
At 1:26 p.m., NOPD Sixth District officers responded to a call of an aggravated battery by shooting on Gen. Taylor Street near Annunciation, in the parking lot of the Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church.
They found four men suffering from gunshot wounds. The victims were transported by the Emergency Medical Service to a local hospital.
One of the victims died at the hospital, and the incident was reclassified as a homicide. The homicide victim was identified as Zernell Lee, 19.
A second man, Derrick Copelin, 25, died later at the same hospital.
According to media reports, the men worked for Groundwork New Orleans, a nonprofit that trains young people in environmental industries. They were working on drainage repairs.
The other shooting victims are both 20 years old, police said.
Anyone with information that can assist in this investigation is asked to call NOPD’s Homicide Unit at 504-658-5300 or to call anonymously to Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans at 504-822-1111.
This post was updated on Oct. 6 after the 19-year-old died, on Oct. 7 when the second victim died and more details were revealed, and on Oct. 8 when the names of the homicide victims were released.
