A Louisiana State University student was found shot dead in her bullet-riddled car on Friday, authorities said. Allison Rice, 21, of Geismar, was found dead inside her vehicle around 2:30 am on Friday, on Government Street close to train tracks. Six bullet holes were reportedly found in her car, according to the Baton Rouge Police Department.
Police said that someone fired at least five to six rounds into Rice's car. The motive and suspect or suspects are unknown, police said. An investigation has been launched but no arrests have been made in this connection yet. According to reports, the shooting started suddenly and many neighbors heard the gunshots.
Killed Tragically
Police said, prior to the incident, Rice apparently went out with friends. She was reportedly caught behind a train only a few miles from campus when she tried to make a U-turn and someone opened fire, according to WWLTV.
A resident of Government Street claimed the passing trains dampened the gunshots, but the violent noise nevertheless woke him up around 2.15 in the morning. "The train, it sort of muffled out the shots, but you knew they were gunshots," the resident, who did not want to be identified, told The Advocate.
At least five to six rounds of bullets hit her car and more than one bullet hit Rice. "Rice was shot multiple times while sitting in the driver seat of her vehicle. Rice died at the scene," police said.
As of Saturday morning, police have not identified a suspect or a motive.
"This senseless violence is completely unacceptable and Baton Rouge Police officers are thoroughly investigating to bring the perpetrator to justice," Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome said in a statement.
The shooting occurred about three miles from campus. Baton Rouge Mayor Sharon Weston also said her "heart goes out to the family."
Violence Escalates
Floyd Normand, a neighbor, told WWLTV that the neighborhood "has a lot of problems." "You've got people doing things they should not be doing, stuff like that. I'm trying to stay focused, stay out of that life, and be in my house. When night falls, I try to be in my house," he told the outlet.
Rice, who is from Geismar, Louisiana, majored in marketing at LSU. On Friday, the university released the following statement.
"The LSU community is saddened to hear of senior Allison Rice being killed overnight. Her family and friends are in our thoughts, and we encourage anyone who may have more information about this crime to contact Baton Rouge Police.
Rice recently quit her bartender job at The Shed BBQ in Baton Rouge, where her siblings also worked, to pursue a new internship, according to the proprietor of the restaurant.
"She was one of our first employees. She was always bright, smiley, and bubbly. She was a staple here," The Shed Owner Luke Forstmann told WAFB.
"We were just talking the other day, she had an internship lined up. She had such an amazing, bright future, and everything was on the up and up and she was about to graduate. This is so senseless and devastating."
According to her former supervisor Chez Ciccone, Rice enjoyed making new cocktail and food recipes at the restaurant.
The young lady, according to her aunt Susie Rice Granier, was a "free spirit" who enjoyed singing and dancing. "The loss of a child, you can never get over that. The holidays are coming up. It's going to be sad. It's going to be really sad," Grainer told The Advocate.
According to The Advocate, Rice's death marks the 74th death in the East Baton Rouge Parish this year. The senior's death also follows a spate of crimes that LSU students have recently been involved in.
Another student was shot on August 19 during an attempted heist. Two distinct kidnapping incidents occurred on campus a few days later.
