Arrest made in bridge shooting
Baton Rouge police have arrested a Port Allen man who was initially questioned in a drive-by shooting Wednesday on Interstate 10 at the base of the Mississippi River bridge.
Eric Jackson, 35, 1574 Louisiana Ave., was booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on Monday on one count each of attempted second-degree murder, illegal use of a weapon and felon in possession of a firearm, police spokesman Cpl. Tommy Stubbs said in a news release.
Jackson was contacted by detectives July 4 and detained but was released because of a lack of evidence, police have said.
Detectives found and interviewed more witnesses who identified Jackson as the shooter, Stubbs said Monday.
Jackson and the 27-year old victim had argued over a woman in Port Allen sometime before the shooting, Stubbs said.
The victim was at a female friend’s house in Port Allen on Wednesday when he saw a man drive by with whom he had an argument several days earlier, according to an affidavit warrant for Jackson’s arrest.
The victim left the house because he felt he was in danger, the affidavit says.
The victim was heading down the Mississippi River Bridge at 6:30 p.m. when he noticed a silver sport utility vehicle following him with Jackson as an occupant, the affidavit says.
The silver SUV pulled alongside the victim, and Jackson fired several shots at his car, hitting him three times in the chest and twice in the right arm, the affidavit says.
The victim stopped his vehicle in the roadway and collapsed in the middle of the interstate near the Nicholson Drive exit, the affidavit says. The silver SUV fled the scene.
The affidavit says Jackson is a convicted felon, but it does not elaborate on his criminal history.
The victim was in stable condition Monday, Stubbs said.
The shooting snarled traffic on the interstate for two hours as Independence Day celebrations were taking place in downtown Baton Rouge.