Shooting Near Superdome Delays Cecilia Fans After State Championship, Suspect Identified

What should have been a night of celebration turned tense for Cecilia High School fans and Acadiana residents attending the Louisiana high school football championship game at the Caesars Superdome on Friday night. The Bulldogs claimed their first state title since 1995, but post-game festivities and travel home were slightly delayed by a shooting in Champions Square that left one man injured and resulted in police locking down the area.

UPDATE:

New Orleans police arrested Gavin Calais, 20, in connection with a shooting Friday night near the Caesars Superdome, where Cecilia High School played Franklinton in the Division II state football championship.

Police say Calais got into an argument with the victim in the 1400 block of Girod Street as both parties were leaving the game. The dispute escalated, leading Calais to open fire. The victim, whose name has not been released, was taken to a hospital with injuries.

ORIGINAL STORY:

The incident occurred just after 11 p.m., as thousands of attendees from the championship game and a Rod Wave concert at the Smoothie King Center began to leave. New Orleans police reported that gunshots rang out near the 700 block of LaSalle Street.

Officers, already stationed in the area, rendered aid to the victim before EMS transported him to a hospital. One suspect was taken into custody, though police have not released their identity or details on charges.

For Cecilia fans, the chaos outside the Dome was compounded by accessibility issues. Many had parked their vehicles in nearby garages that were blocked off by police establishing a perimeter around the crime scene. Videos shared by social media users @reggieart and @empoweryounola captured the frustration and concern as thousands gathered, unable to access their cars.

Even though things were pretty tense, luckily, no one got hurt, and the fans got home safely. Cecilia’s fans praised their team for fighting hard to win the championship, but the night showed just how unpredictable big events can be.

Chief Justin Brown of the Franklinton Police Department, whose officers assisted with the response, addressed the community's concerns in a statement, acknowledging the fear and confusion caused by the shooting. “We got everyone home safe and sound, and for that, I give God the glory,” he wrote.

See the full story via FOX 8 here.