By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – The St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office is investigating a pair of unrelated shootings in LaPlace over the weekend that sent three people to the hospital with gunshot wounds.

The first happened Saturday just before midnight in the 2300 block of Sugar Ridge Drive in LaPlace. Deputies were called to the scene on report of five or six gunshots heard in the area, said Sgt. Dane Clement, spokesman for the Sheriffs Office.

When they arrived at the scene, 911 operators notified deputies that two victims, a 20-year-old man and his 18-year-old brother, were taken to River Parishes Hospital in LaPlace with gunshot wounds. The 18-year-old was treated and released and the 20-year-old was transferred to a New Orleans hospital where he remains in stable condition.

Clement said the younger victim told investigators he and his brother were walking on South Sugar Ridge, when four unknown male subjects walked past them. The victim said he heard what he thought were fireworks but then realized that he and his brother had been shot. A friend drove them to the hospital.

Clement said the victim did not know the four subjects and could not provide further information.

The second shooting happened just after 4:30 a.m. Sunday in the 200 block of Joe Parquet Circle in LaPlace. Deputies were responding to a report of someone trying to kick in the front door of a residence when they were advised that someone was shot at the scene and being taken to River Parishes Hospital.

Clement said deputies arrived at the hospital and found a 31-year-old female victim with wounds to her left arm. She was treated and released later that morning.

Clement said the victim told investigators she was sleeping on her couch, which is just inside the front door, when she heard noise at the front door. She said the front door flew open, and an unknown man entered the residence, pointed a gun at her and shot her.

The victim said a second subject accompanied the shooter. She sought help from a neighbor who brought her to the hospital for treatment.

Clement said anyone with information regarding either shooting is asked to call Detective Walter Stevens at 985-359-8767 or Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.