NEW ORLEANS – A mass shooting was reported last night during the Bacchus Parade, according to authorities.
Five people were shot, one fatally, near the end of the Krewe of Bacchus parade in New Orleans on Sunday night, police said.
The New Orleans Police Department said officers near the parade route heard shots fired at 9:30 p.m. on the 1600 block of Terpsichore Street. Five people were shot, including three men, one woman and one girl. All five were transported to the hospital, where one man was pronounced dead.
St. Charles and Terpsichore #Bacchus shooting pic.twitter.com/d9TFaiNW2T
— So that happened… (@SoThatHappnd) February 20, 2023
According to Chief Deputy Superintendent Hans Ganthier, one suspect has been arrested, and two firearms were recovered.
Police said they are still working to determine whether that suspect was the only perpetrator.
Carnival season in New Orleans includes numerous parades leading up to Mardi Gras on Feb. 21. The Mardi Gras season begins on Twelfth Night, Jan. 6, and culminates in the final celebration on Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, which begins the Lent fasting period until Easter.
The Krewe of Bacchus, first conceived in the 1940s and officially founded in 1968, has more than 1,500 members and 33 “animated super floats,” according to the Krewe’s website.
The Krewe of Bacchus parade is one of the biggest of the Mardi Gras season.
