Five People at Louisiana Bonfire Event Struck by Vehicle After Driver was Shot and Lost Control

Union Parish, Louisiana – Five people at a Louisiana bonfire event were struck by a vehicle after the driver was shot and lost control.

The Union Parish Sheriff’s Office (UPSO) reported that on Sunday, February 19, 2023, at about 1:30 a.m., Bernice Police Department requested assistance from UPSO deputies near the intersection of Willis Reed Street and West 2nd Street in Bernice, Louisiana. Bernice police officers reported that a vehicle struck and injured several people who were attending a bonfire celebration.

Prior to deputies arriving, Bernice Police officers discovered a male in the immediate vicinity with a gunshot wound to the head.

UPSO deputies and Bernice Police officers came to the scene and began administering first aid to the victims. A total of five people were hit by a vehicle, which was discovered crashed in a nearby ditch. Each of the five injured pedestrians was brought to a local hospital for treatment. Their injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.   According to preliminary investigations, the gunshot victim was the driver of the vehicle that struck the people. With significant injuries, he was taken to a Shreveport trauma center.

A crime scene was established, and deputies from the UPSO’s Criminal Investigations Division and Crime Scene Division are still investigating this incident. There was no information available about a suspect at the time this was published.

Anyone with information regarding this incident can contact the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office at (318) 368-3124.