Six Shot, Including Child, As Mardi Gras Parade Turns Violent In Louisiana

Last Updated:February 01, 2026, 03:15 IST

Police took one person into custody after gunfire erupted during the carnival event.

The shooting occurred during the town’s “Mardi Gras in the Country” celebration. Louisiana State Police have taken over the investigation into the shooting. (IMAGE: REUTERS/REPRESENTATIVE)

A Mardi Gras parade in a small Louisiana town turned violent on Saturday after six people, including a child, were shot, forcing authorities to shut down the event.

The shooting took place near the courthouse in Clinton, Louisiana, during the town’s annual “Mardi Gras in the Country" carnival parade. Local broadcaster WBRZ reported that the celebration was abruptly halted as gunfire broke out, sending parade-goers scrambling for safety.

Officials said one person has been taken into custody in connection with the shooting, while investigators are searching for a vehicle believed to have been used in the attack. The local sheriff told WBRZ that the parade was immediately called off following the incident.

Louisiana State Police have taken over the investigation. Streets around the courthouse were sealed off, with state troopers and sheriff’s deputies blocking access to the area as the scene was secured.

Clinton is a town of about 1,300 people, part of the broader metropolitan area surrounding Louisiana’s capital, Baton Rouge. The shooting has rattled the close-knit community, where the Mardi Gras parade is typically a family-oriented event.

The incident adds to a growing list of mass shootings in the United States this year. According to the nonpartisan Gun Violence Archive, there have been at least 24 mass shootings nationwide so far.

(with additional inputs from the Guardian)

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