Soccer mom with kids in car caught in hail of bullets at New Orleans playground

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - A woman is recovering after being caught in the crossfire with children in her car at a New Orleans playground.

The shooting happened near the Conrad Playground around 6:30 p.m. on Thursday at the intersection of Mistletoe and Edinburgh Streets.

The 42-year-old soccer mom was in her vehicle near the playground when police say a group of individuals began shooting at each other.

When the shots rang out, the woman and several kids jumped out and ran. The woman sustained a bullet wound to her hand and was rushed to the hospital.

Sources told FOX 8 the woman was trying to make it to the Cuccia/Byrnes Playground several blocks away but somehow got lost and ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Neighbors say it seemed like the gunshots would never end.

“It sounded like a third-world country,” a witness said.

Residents of the Hollygrove neighborhood are still in shock.

“It could have been close to a hundred [shots],” one neighbor said. “I mean, a lot of these people out here now are carrying automatic weapons.”

Soccer coach Kenny Farrell, who was at Cuccia/Byrnes, says the gunshots seemed to go on forever and he never imagined it was one of his soccer moms caught in the hail of bullets.

Police say they recovered over 60 shell casings from the scene.

“I heard a lot of gunshots and that’s normal for me in New Orleans. It’s not like my first time hearing that,” neighbor Milton Carson said.

Houses nearby were struck by bullets. Neighbors say they are living in fear because violence is everywhere.

“People are living in fear to just go to the grocery store,” a neighbor said. “You really just have to keep your head on a swivel and it shouldn’t be like that.”

“It’s just too close to home,” another neighbor, Melvin Bouis said. “Too close to home.”

Coach Farrell says he will now have to move the soccer program out of the area until they know it’s safe.

Police are still investigating.

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