RIVER RIDGE, La. -- Investigators with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office have arrested two men in connection with the gunfire that killed a child on Sunday morning in River Ridge.
Andre Preston, 21 of Kenner, and Roger Chairs, 21 of Jefferson, are both now charged with first-degree murder in the death of 7-year-old Paige Dejean.
"We're not talking about organized gangs," said Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand. "These are serious, knucklehead, idiot criminals that are out on the streets of our parish, just shooting guns like the wild, wild west -- thinking that they're going to take care of business and thinking that they're bad."
Around 4 a.m. on Sunday, bullets ripped through the outside walls of the Mark Twain II apartment complex on Jefferson Highway. Normand said Andre Preston admitted to firing a nine millimeter gun on nearby Upland Avenue. Preston and Chairs were both allegedly shooting at people in another vehicle.
"There is a beef that was going on about a number of criminal activities between these two groups of individuals," Normand said.
One of the stray bullets struck Paige Dejean in the neck, killing her as she slept. Investigators credit tips from the surrounding community for leading to the two arrests.
"The death of Paige created and caused pause in the community," Normand said. "I'm glad the community stepped up and cooperated."
On Sunday, neighbors expressed outrage at the violence. Robert Hoffman lives downstairs from Paige's family. One of the bullets penetrated the outside wall of his apartment and hit the television.
"Am I shocked? Yes, I'm shocked," he said.
Meanwhile, Paige's father, who is in the Louisiana National Guard, had been deployed overseas when she was killed. He has since returned home.
"It is just a horrific crime," said Robyn Cross, who heard the gunfire early Sunday morning.
Investigators are now concentrating on finding the people that were in the second vehicle involved in the shooting.
"We know who the other individuals are. We are not going to release their names at the present time," Normand said. "But I would strongly suggest to these individuals -- and they know who they are -- that they turn themselves in. We are in the streets actively looking for them. We are taking this very seriously."
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