1 dead, 1 injured in drive-by shooting; neighbors say gunfire in area is common

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - The Baton Rouge Police Department reported detectives are investigating a drive-by shooting that left one person dead and another injured on Wednesday, Aug. 24.

Police said Kevonta Veals, 24, died in the shooting. They added a woman, who is expected to survive, was taken to the hospital to be treated for a gunshot wound.

BRPD said the shooting happened on Madison Avenue near North 28th Street just after 11 a.m. According to detectives, the shots were fired from a passing vehicle.

Neighbors said they know the sound of gunfire all too well. Karyn Gray is a longtime member of the Fairfields community. She said the shootings are out of control.

“When I was growing up, none of this was going on,” said Gray. “These teenagers and youngsters now, they are going crazy because they have a gun in their hand. The other day, I was standing on the porch and a little boy walked down the street with an assault rifle in his hands like nothing.”

Police labeled dozens of shell casings scattered on the ground near her home on Madison Avenue after the deadly drive-by shooting.

Gray added she is afraid to let her little ones go out to play and is worried for her family’s safety.

“I can’t take this. I can’t even bring the kids outside. I’m running in my house back and forth from the front to back ‘cause guns firing out everywhere. I can’t take this anymore,” explained Gray.

Dana Winbush is a member of the Baton Rouge Community Street Team.

“We attend funerals, we attend balloon releases, to offer support to these people,” said Winbush. “Let them know that we’re going to be every step of the way with you.”

She said the BCST is called to scenes like this too many times.

“It’s sporadic. They have no timeframe for coming in and shooting and that’s not just in this neighborhood. That’s what we’re seeing city-wide,” noted Winbush.

Gray is calling on the community to pick up the pieces and put down the guns.

“What can we do? I’m not calling the chief out; I’m not calling the mayor out. I’m calling the community out now. It’s time to step up and do something,” said Gray.

Other neighbors who live nearby were also asked about the shooting. While they did not want to comment publicly, they said they are tired of gun violence and hope to see a change soon.

Anyone with any information is urged to contact the Violent Crimes Unit at 389-4869 or Crime Stoppers at 344-7867.

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