Louisiana Mardi Gras Parade Shooting Injures Five, Including Child

A shooting during the Mardi Gras in the Country parade in Clinton, Louisiana, wounded five people, including a six-year-old child, on Saturday. The incident occurred shortly after the midday start of the parade, according to East Feliciana Parish Sheriff Jeff Travis. Three individuals in the area with firearms were taken into custody, though their involvement in the shooting remains unclear. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry condemned the shooting as "absolutely horrific and unacceptable" in a post on X, urging prayers for the victims. Authorities confirmed that all victims were expected to survive, though their conditions were not immediately released. The Louisiana State Police have taken over the investigation, and the sheriff’s office requested any photos or videos of the shooting to aid in the probe. Clinton, a town of about 1,300 people near Baton Rouge, has seen at least 24 mass shootings in the U.S. so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. The incident has reignited debates over gun control measures, though Congress has historically struggled to pass significant legislation on the issue.