New Orleans (WGNO) – The trial for 22-year-old Trung Le of Belle Chasse began Tuesday. Both sides gave opening statements. Prosecutor Lauren Rodrigue began her argument saying this case is”complicated in some way.” Then she described the chaos on June 2014, when Le allegedly opened fire on Bourbon near Orleans during a gunfight. Another gunman has not been found. Brittany Thomas, a nursing student, was killed. Nine others were injured.
Rodrigue says that a group of Le’s friends went to Bourbon street, and a drug deal went bad with an unknown black man. They called Le and he joined them. Later in the night, the group spottted that unknown black man. There was an argument. The black man walked away. Then Rodrigue says Le fired four shots. That unknown black man fired back eleven shots.
Then Rodrigue described the injuries of the shooting victims, some of the descriptions too gruesome to include in the article. At least, seven of the victims are expected to speak in court. The friends of Le are also expected to take the stand.
Rodrigue also says that Le and his friends were not cooperative with investigators initially. Le faces manslaughter for Thomas’s death and attempted second degree murder charges against that unknown black man.