Updated 1:45 a.m. ET Monday:
Police in New Orleans are searching for two male suspects in a deadly shooting early Sunday morning in the heart of the city's famous French Quarter.
At a news conference, police said the two men knew each other and had had an earlier dispute. When they ran into each other on Bourbon Street, they began arguing again and then the shooting started at approximately 1:30 a.m.
One person was killed and nine others were injured. Police say none of the victims — ranging in age from 20 to 37 — was an intended target.
Eight of the victims are males, including the deceased, and two victims are females.
The Times-Picayune in New Orleans reports:
Demontris Toliver, a 25-year-old Baton Rouge tattoo artist in town to celebrate his birthday, has been identified as the man slain in the shooting. Toliver's brother, Joshua Davis, said Toliver was gunned down shortly after he and his fiancee left their Canal Street hotel. Aaron Washington, who worked with Toliver at Effum Underground, said Toliver was a devoted apprentice at the shop, often arriving early to work and constantly refining his skills in a mission to become a full-time tattoo artist. "He was a very laid-back, carefree individual," Washington said, adding that Toliver was most always laughing, smiling and "trying to show you his artwork."
The Associated Press reports:
About 25 people who said they were friends and relatives of Toliver gathered late Sunday and lit candles at the scene of the shooting. They hugged each other, some crying. Several men in the group appeared to pray. Five of the injured victims have been released from the hospital and four remained hospitalized — but officials say they do not have life-threatening injuries.
The violence happened despite an increase in patrols. Authorities had prepared for a large number of people visiting the city because of two football games.
The Bayou Classic between Southern and Gambling Universities was played Saturday night. And the NFL's New Orleans Saints were scheduled to play the Los Angeles Rams in the Superdome on Sunday.
New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu called the violence "completely unacceptable."
He told The Associated Press, that authorities will find the suspects.
"We will go to the ends of the earth to make sure that we bring them to justice," Landrieu said.
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