Man dead, man wounded in shooting
Three attacks called unrelated
LAFAYETTE — A New Iberia man is dead and two other men were clinging to life in area hospitals after three unrelated shootings on Sunday and Monday, authorities said.
No one was injured in a fourth shooting Saturday and no arrests had been made in the shootings as of Monday evening, Lafayette police spokesman Cpl. Paul Mouton said.
The fatal shooting occurred at 2:30 a.m. Sunday outside Taco Bell, 2406 W. Congress St., he said.
A 19-year-old man and a 23-year-old man, both from New Iberia, were gunned down by an occupant in an older model Pontiac Bonneville, Mouton said.
The shooter fired multiple shots at the victims, striking the 19-year-old in the back and the 23-year-old man in the back and leg, he said.
The shooter then drove west on West Congress Street, Mouton said.
Both victims were taken to area hospitals.
The 19-year-old victim, identified as Frederick Joseph, later died from his wounds, Mouton said.
The 23-year-old man, whose identity was not released, remains in stable but serious condition, he said.
The motive for the shooting has not yet been determined while investigators are “following up on some positive leads,” Mouton said.
On Monday, a 31-year-old Lafayette man was shot during an early morning home invasion in the 100 block of Mimosa Place, Mouton said.
The victim was inside his home at 5 a.m. when he was confronted by someone who shot him and ran away, he said.
The victim was able to contact neighbors for help and was transported to a hospital where he remains in critical condition, Mouton said.
The victim’s family issued a statement Monday afternoon identifying the victim as Yousef Balbeisi, the younger brother of Nidal Balfeisi, who owns the Zeus franchise.
Yousef Balbeisi serves as general manager of one of the restaurant’s locations, according to the statement.
“At this time he is in critical condition at a Lafayette hospital. Mr. Balbeisi was found in and out of consciousness and the circumstances surrounding the shooting are not known at this time,” the statement said.
Mouton said a description of the shooter has not been developed since investigators have not been able to talk to the victim.
Meanwhile, detectives also continue to investigate a Saturday morning shooting outside Syrie Funeral Home, at 12th and East Simcoe streets.
No one was injured in that shooting and investigators are still trying to determine the motive, Mouton said.
“We do not believe that the funeral proceedings going on at that location had anything to do with the shooting,” he said.
Investigators suspect the shooting may have involved a person at the funeral who was seen by someone passing by at the time, Mouton said.
“We have a list of individuals who were outside who may have seen something,” he said. “The information that we’re working with is very vague. We know there are other witnesses out there.”
Mouton stressed that none of the shootings are connected.
Anyone with information on the three shootings is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (337) 232-8477.