Man arrested in Bourbon Street shootout that killed 1, injured 8

The 20-year-old Louisiana man who allegedly triggered a gunfight that left one woman dead and eight others injured on Bourbon Street earlier this week was arrested in Mississippi on Friday, police said.

Trung T. Le, 20, of Belle Chase was captured Friday by U.S. marshals and New Orleans police, according to a news release.

On June 29, a chaotic gun battle left nine people injured shortly before 3 a.m. on Bourbon Street, New Orleans’ crowded bar district that is often clogged with tourists and late-night revelers.

In the statement, New Orleans Police Supt. Ronal Serpas said Le and another man were trying to settle a dispute. Le fired the first shot, according to Serpas, and it appears all of the victims were innocent bystanders.

Brittany Thomas, one of two victims who was critically wounded in the shooting, died July 2. The other seven victims were in stable condition after the shooting.

During a televised news conference, Serpas asked for the public’s help in identifying the second gunman. It was not clear what led to the shootout, but Serpas said he did not believe Le knew the other man prior to the incident.

Police identified Justin Odom as a “person of interest” in the shootout the day Thomas died. He was detained on shoplifting charges and held in the Jefferson Parish jail, police had said.

At the time, investigators said they were looking for a second man and known associate of Odom who went by the name Joe. On Friday, Serpas said Le was also known as Joe.

Le was charged with Thomas’ death and nine counts of attempted murder. A New Orleans police spokesman told the Los Angeles Times that Odom has since been released, and it remains unclear who the second gunman was.

The spokesman declined to comment on what type of firearm Le used.

Earlier this week, a witness said one man shot at another and then fired into the nearby crowd, according to CBS News.

“He ... pulled the gun out and started shooting at the guy, then turned around on the crowd and started shooting at us,” the witness, whose name was not provided, told CBS affiliate WWL-TV.

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