Louisiana shooting: 2 dead when gunmen burst in on card game

SHREVEPORT, La. – Several masked men burst in on a card game at a tire shop in Louisiana early Thursday and began firing semi-automatic rifles, police said. Eight men were shot, including two who died.

The gunmen — described as three or four men wearing coverings over their faces — got away, according to the Shreveport Police Department.

Cpl. Marcus Hines said police did not find any guns in the tire shop or any evidence that any of the gunmen was shot.

“We don’t know if there was an exchange of gunfire or not,” he said. “These guys came in and started shooting. No one reports they shot back.”

Hines said two men died, two were seriously wounded and four were treated at a hospital and released. Two other men had minor cuts from broken glass. Investigators don’t know the motive or whether the gunmen took any money, and don’t have leads to their identities.

Police haven’t determined whether gambling was involved.

“We didn’t find a gambling shack and money all over the place. It wasn’t that kind of scene,” Hines said. “We found people shot and suspects gone.”

Police identified the dead victims as Elton Wayne Madison and Leatrick Benjamin, both 37.

Hines said he did not know whether the two men cut by glass were trying to get out through a window, whether the gunfire broke glass, or whether there was broken glass in the shop for some other reason.

Police asked anyone with information about the attack to call Crime Stoppers.