New Orleans police hunt three shooting suspects

New Orleans police are hunting the gunmen who wounded 19 people, including two children, at a Mother’s Day parade.

A New Orleans police officer collects evidence at the scene of the shooting. Picture: AP

Ten men, seven women, and a girl and a boy both aged ten were hit when gunmen opened fire at the parade on Sunday.

Police said they were looking for three suspects. They said there was no known motive.

Grainy surveillance video shows a crowd suddenly scattering in all directions, with some people falling to the ground. They appear to be running from a man, who turns and runs out of the picture.

Two victims underwent surgery. The children were grazed but in good condition, police said.

Police Superintendent Ronal Serpas said a witness reported hearing two different types of gunshots, indicating two weapons were involved.

As many as 400 people came out for the so-called second-line procession – a boisterous New Orleans tradition – though only half that many were in the immediate vicinity of the shooting, Supt Serpas said.

Officers were interspersed with the marchers, which is routine for such events.

Second-line parades are loose processions in which people dance down the street, often following behind a brass band. They can be planned events or impromptu offshoots of other celebrations. They trace their origins to the city’s jazz funerals.

Violent crime in New Orleans ranks above the national average in FBI surveys. A poll of residents in 2010 found crime to be their greatest concern.