NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Police Department is sharing what investigators believe is behind all of the interstate shootings.
There were two shootings on I-10 Wednesday evening sending two people to the hospital.
It's an unfortunate trend as this year there are now an average of two New Orleans interstate shootings a month. Officials don't believe the shootings are connected.
"Every other day, every other week, it's just interstate shootings. It's buck wild interstate shootings," said Larrielle Joespeh who lives just blocks away from the most recent interstate shooting.
According to NOPD, around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, a man was driving on I-10 near Franklin Avenue when someone started shooting at his car. He was hit, but is expected to survive.
Just a few hours before that at 6:15 p.m., a woman was driving on I-10 when someone shot at her near the Bullard Exit. She was hit in the leg and is expected to survive too.
"Horror. You know, it's just been so consistent throughout the city. It's very depressing. It's very upsetting," said Tangee Wall, a resident of New Orleans East. "It's just kind of unnerving to know that just driving along could possibly being a problem."
Wall believes it's going to take less finger pointing and more collaborative efforts to put an end to the crime and fear.
"There is a fear, absolutely, because you just never know," Wall said.
So far this year, there have been 12 shootings on interstates in New Orleans, NOPD confirms. Three people have died as a result. A NOPD spokesperson said, "There has been no indication that these interstate shootings are random acts or that a single source is responsible."
Investigators think the cases are road rage, or pre-existing feuds with people committing crimes of opportunity against someone they know and, in some cases, with innocent people getting caught in the line of fire.
"The intelligence says there are several gangs in this city that are actually actively hunting each other," New Orleans City Councilmember Oliver Thomas said.
He wants to see cameras on the interstate.
"We seem to be in a time now where people do believe this is Gotham City, and the criminals think that they run this city. We have to do whatever it takes to defeat them," Thomas said.
According to NOPD, no arrests have been made in any of the interstate shootings this year.
An NOPD spokesperson sent the following statement:
"As has been discussed by the Superintendent on multiple occasions, there has been no indication that these interstate shootings are random acts or that a single source is responsible. Multiple variables must be taken into consideration when investigating these incidents. Some of these cases are believed to be interactions between motorists that, unfortunately, escalated into incidents of road rage. In others, pre-existing feuds are believed to be involved and perpetrators are believed to be committing isolated crimes of opportunity against a known victim. Also, in some cases, it appears that unintended targets may have been caught in the line of fire.
So far this year, NOPD has investigated a total of nine non-fatal shootings and three fatal shootings occurring on interstates within Orleans Parish. As of this writing, no arrests have been made and investigations into each incident remain active and ongoing.
We ask that anyone who has any information regarding either of these incidents to call NOPD or to call anonymously to Crimestoppers and report that information. Even if it is something that may seem insignificant, it may be a vital piece of a case to a detective."