By ROBIN SHANNON

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE – Authorities in St. John Parish are investigating a string of armed robberies in the LaPlace area over the weekend, including one in which a victim was shot twice while running from his attackers.

The five robberies, taking place in a two-day time span, have investigators looking into the possibility that some are related. Maj. Mike Tregre, public information officer for the St. John Sheriff’s Office, said there is no evidence that links any of the robberies at this time.

Tregre said the shooting victim, a 42-year-old LaPlace man, was taken to River Parishes Hospital, treated for his injuries, and released the same day. He said the man was shot in the left shoulder and grazed in the stomach while fleeing from two men trying to rob him in the 1800 block of Cinclair Loop around 9 p.m. Sunday.

According to a Sheriff’s Office report, the men, both wearing ski masks, approached the victim as he left a function at a residence. The suspects fired multiple shots at the man as he turned to run away.

Deputies are also investigating a separate incident later that evening involving four black males wearing dark clothing, who allegedly robbed a 45-year-old LaPlace male around 11 p.m. Sunday.

Tregre said as the victim was walking in the 600 block of Main Street Sunday, the men approached and ordered the victim to empty his pockets. He said the victim handed over his wallet, containing debit and credit cards, other assorted identification, and $25 cash. He said the suspects then fled on foot in an unknown direction.

Tregre said in another incident Sunday, a 22-year-old LaPlace male said he was walking home from a business on Airline Highway around 2:30 a.m. Sunday, when two black males wearing black hooded sweatshirts and black masks over their faces approached him.

The report said one of the suspects, armed with a gun, struck the victim in the head with the gun before escaping the scene with the victim’s wallet and cell phone. The men then fled the scene in an unknown direction.

Tregre said authorities are also working two separate incidents that occurred Saturday evening.

In the first incident, which occurred around 2 p.m. Saturday, three black males walked into a Domino’s Pizza restaurant at 103 W. Airline Hwy., and demanded money from the register. Tregre said a restaurant employee handed over an undisclosed amount of money. The suspects then fled the store, heading toward Main Street.

The report said the suspects were wearing long shirts and blue jeans. It said one suspect also wore a red hat, black bandana, and sunglasses.

In the second incident Saturday, Tregre said two black males approached a 17-year-old LaPlace female and a 19-year-old Kenner male, who were sitting in a vehicle in the 1500 block of Sugar Ridge around 11:45 p.m.

Tregre said the male victim told deputies that the two men, one armed with a gun, took his wallet and cell phone before fleeing the scene down N. Sugar Ridge. The victim said his female companion fled the vehicle before he was robbed.

Anyone with information about any of the robberies is asked to contact the St. John Sheriff’s Office at 985-652-9514.