HAMMOND, LA – A 50-year-old woman was shot and killed early Thursday morning after gunmen fired 70 to 80 rounds into a vehicle at a Hammond gas station in a tragic case of mistaken identity.
The Ambush at Chevron
Hammond Police Chief Edwin Bergeron Jr. confirmed that Patricia Shepard was sitting inside a vehicle at a Chevron gas station when suspects pulled up next to the car and opened fire. Shepard was pronounced dead at the scene.
“She was an absolute innocent victim,” Chief Bergeron stated during a news conference. “She was not involved.”
Stalked and Mistaken Target
According to investigators, the suspects had been stalking the vehicle earlier that night at a nearby farm. Police revealed that the gunmen’s intended target had been inside the car earlier but had exited the vehicle to ride with someone else before it arrived at the gas station.
When the driver of Shepard’s car walked inside the Chevron convenience store, the suspects launched their attack, apparently believing their target was still inside.
Suspect Vehicle Information
Hammond Police are currently searching for at least two to three suspects. Authorities disclosed that the gunmen were driving a stolen white 2008 Honda Civic with the following details:
- Origin: Stolen from Pike County, Mississippi, on Tuesday.
- License Plate: Mississippi plate number PJY050.
- Key Feature: The vehicle is missing its front passenger-side window.
