NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans police responded to a shooting involving an Orleans Levee District police officer Sunday afternoon in the Lake Terrace neighborhood near the UNO Lakefront Arena, an NOPD spokesperson said.
Raymond Price was spending his afternoon on the Lakefront. Price said he saw two people in a silver car. Someone called police about reckless driving in the parking lot on Lakeshore Drive and Franklin Avenue.
“Some dudes were doing donuts, and police eventually showed up,” Price said. “Police officers told the guy in the silver car to stop or to not move. He revs his engine looked like he was going to hit the police officer. That’s when I heard the shots.”
A levee district officer responded to reports of reckless driving in a parking lot near Franklin Avenue and Lakeshore Drive around 2:50 p.m., said Antwan Harris, a spokesman for the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority East, in a statement. The agency oversees part of New Orleans' levee system.
"As the officer exited his vehicle, the suspect vehicle sped towards the officer," Harris wrote. "At that point, the officer opened fire on the suspects in defense of his life."
Both people in the car were taken to a hospital by ambulance. Authorities did not give an update Sunday evening on either person's condition.
The officer was not hurt, Harris said.
The intersection is less than half a mile from the main UNO campus.
No NOPD officers were involved in the shooting. However, the police department's internal investigation team for use of force incidents such as officer-involved shootings is leading the investigation into Sunday's incident.
Anyone with the information about the shooting can call Crimestoppers at 504.822.1111.
This is a developing story, and it will be updated periodically. Check back with WWLTV.com for the latest news.
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