9-Year-Old Boy Fatally Shot In New Orleans, Two Teens Wounded

Police in New Orleans are investigating the shooting death of a 9-year-old Devante Bryant that also left two teens, 13 and 15 wounded Monday afternoon in a series of senseless violence that has escalated in the city for the past month.

The victim was reportedly days shy of his 10th birthday when he was shot in the head. 

Reacting at the scene of the shooting , police Chief Shaun Ferguson said:

“Again, this is unnecessary, this is unfortunate and most importantly this is disheartening for us as a community to accept, a ... boy who has not lived his life yet to be killed today on the streets of New Orleans."

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He spoke to reporters after arriving at the shooting scene with New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell.

“Energetic child. He had fun. He always smiled. Just full of life. The whole neighborhood knows him. He’s by everybody. Everybody loved him. He’s just a good child,” the boy’s father, Donald Bryant, told the station.

He said the shooting happened soon after he came back from the store with Devante.

The other two shooting victims were a 15-year-old who was shot in the stomach, and a 13-year-old boy who was shot in the leg.

Police released a photo of a white Jeep Wrangler they say was involved.

“Investigators believe that at the time of the incident, the vehicle was occupied by three subjects who were dressed in dark clothing, hoodies and face masks,” authorities said.

The vehicle was being driven without a license plate, they said.

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