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LSU student's killing appears to be random; federal investigators getting involved
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BATON ROUGE - Police believe an LSU student who was shot while sitting in her car at a railroad crossing was attacked at random by her killer.
On Tuesday, a Baton Rouge Police spokesperson told WBRZ that officers have found no evidence suggesting Allie Rice was specifically targeted by her attacker, adding that the encounter seemingly happened at random.
Family members said Rice was visiting a friend earlier that same night at a bar on Government Street, located just minutes away from where she was shot. Police have yet to determine what exactly happened in the moments leading up to the shooting or what her attacker's motive may have been.
Audio taken from nearby surveillance cameras captured the sound of about a dozen gunshots as the train was passing by, but police have not said whether they've found any footage of the actual shooting.
District Attorney Hillar Moore told WBRZ on Tuesday that federal agencies like the FBI, ATF and DEA were helping with the investigation locally. Moore added that detectives have investigated every tip they've received, refuting claims on social media that police had not taken some witness statements.
He echoed those sentiments by Baton Rouge Police saying all signs point to this murder being an "isolated and random act."
"They are working their tails off trying to get info they can. There are also rumors as phones are ringing off the hook... People saying what they think happened. I caution people not to go there," Moore said.
The district attorney said none of the tips they've received so far has been enough to identify a suspect.
"Everything that can possibly done is being done right now by every agency regardless of the initials behind their name. Whether it's state police, DEA, ATF, FBI... you name it. Everyone is working and working this matter expeditiously as we speak," Moore said.
The mayor's office released a statement Wednesday morning announcing a news conference with Police Chief Murphy Paul scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Thursday where they'll discuss "public safety strategies and responses to recent violent crime."
Rice's former employer, The Shed on Burbank Drive, is offering a $10,000 reward for any information that leads to her killer's conviction.
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