Unhoused Man Shot with Pellet Gun for Allegedly Trespassing on Private Property in Shreveport
Shooting Incident in Shreveport
In disturbing news coming out of Shreveport, Louisiana, an unhoused man is recovering in a local hospital after being shot with a pellet gun on Friday morning. The incident reportedly occurred just before 10 a.m. in the 2500 block of Hersey D. Wilson Drive, between Legardy and Stanley streets in the Martin Luther King neighborhood.
Details of the Incident
Local law enforcement were called to the scene of an alleged shooting. Once they arrived, authorities found a man bleeding from a pellet shot wound to the left side of his chest/armpit. According to police reports, the victim was an unhoused person who was standing next to the homeowner’s shed when the conflict started.
The man was asked to vacate the property by the homeowner. However, he reportedly refused, leading to an altercation during which he threw a beer bottle at the property owner, striking him in the chest.
Shots Fired in Self-Defense
In response to the assault, the homeowner shot the unhoused man in the chest with a pellet gun. The local law enforcement officials have preliminarily stated that the homeowner acted out of self-defense. Fearing for his life, the owner believed the shooting was the only option to protect himself.
Immediately following the incident, the injured man was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he is currently receiving treatment for non-life-threatening injuries.
Ongoing Investigation
The investigation into the incident is ongoing. It intends to uncover the precise mechanism of events and validate the claim of self-defense put forward by the homeowner.
No charges have been laid at this point, but this may change pending the results of the ongoing investigation. This case has reignited local conversations about the rights of homeowners, responsibility towards the unhoused community, and the use of force in self-defense situations.
The identities of both the homeowner and the unhoused man have not been released.
Updated information will be provided as the investigation progresses.