Balloon Festival Shooting Incident
Investigation Underway After Shots Fired at Zachary Balloon Festival, No Injuries Reported
Key Points
Baton Rouge Emergency Medical Services is cited as part of the response to the shooting at the Zachary Hot Air Balloon Festival.
No one is hurt at this time, according to officials.
The call was received around 8:11 p.m., with emergency crews on scene at Zachary Community Park.
Authorities had not released information on what led to the shooting, whether injuries occurred, or if a suspect had been taken into custody; the investigation was ongoing.
Shots reported at the Zachary Really Hot Air Balloon Festival on Saturday night turned out to be a false alarm. Zachary police confirmed that no shots were actually fired at the event, according to The Advocate and WBRZ.
Officers responded to the report at around 8:11 p.m. at BREC's Zachary Community Park on Old Scenic Highway. The park was cleared and the festival was shut down for the night while police investigated. No victims or injuries were identified.
Police Clear 43-Acre Park Mid-Festival Glow
The 4th Annual Zachary Really Hot Air Balloon Festival was in full swing when officers moved in. Police cleared the entire 43-acre park around 8:10 p.m. after multiple people reported hearing gunfire, according to Hoodline. The festival's popular evening "balloon glow" event was cut short.
Baton Rouge Emergency Medical Services was also called to the scene. Crews arrived quickly and secured the area. Despite the large emergency response, investigators found no evidence that any shots had been fired.
Investigation Finds No Evidence of Gunfire
Zachary police launched a full investigation after patrol officers flooded the park. WBRZ reported that officers determined no shots were fired following a thorough review of the scene. No suspect was taken into custody, and no weapons were recovered.
Authorities did not release details on what may have caused the initial reports. The Advocate noted that the incident remained under investigation as of early reporting. It is unclear what sound or event triggered the panic that emptied the festival grounds.
Festival Shut Down for the Rest of the Night
The Zachary Really Hot Air Balloon Festival did not reopen after police cleared the park. Officials closed the event for the remainder of the evening. Hoodline reported the closure took effect around the time officers arrived, leaving attendees without the rest of the night's programming.
Some early reports suggested an argument may have sparked the chaos. Unfiltered with Kiran cited accounts placing the initial incident around 8:30 p.m. and linking it to a dispute among attendees. However, police ultimately found no shooting had taken place.
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