A suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting that killed three people on South Claiborne Avenue more than three years ago.
Seven additional victims were wounded by gunfire in the triple homicide in the 3400 block of South Claiborne Avenue on July 28, 2018.
Jamal Smith, 32, faces three counts of second-degree murder and seven counts of attempted second-degree murder in connection with the incident.
Two men and one woman were killed. Two women and five men were injured in the gunfire. Most of the victims were simply standing outside of a business when two men opened fire, police said.
At around 8:35 p.m., surveillance video revealed, two gunmen — one armed with an assault rifle and the second armed with two handguns — began firing at a man on Claiborne near Louisiana Avenue.
The victim ran toward a crowd of bystanders while the two gunmen continued to pursue him, firing indiscriminately into the crowd.
The apparent target and two bystanders sustained fatal gunshot wounds. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
During the investigation, detectives received a Crimestoppers tip that Smith was one of the gunmen in the incident.
Smith is currently incarcerated in Jefferson Parish, where he is being held on a federal weapons charge, as well as drug and weapons charges in Jefferson Parish. He also has a history of drug and weapons charges in Orleans Parish, Sheriff’s Office records show.
The investigation remains open and active. The NOPD reports that it has several promising avenues of inquiry.
Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact the NOPD Homicide Unit at 504-658-5300 or call Crimestoppers anonymously at 504-822-1111.
