A drive-by shooting overnight left one man dead and another wounded on Louisiana Highway 40 in Independence, according to Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Gerald Sticker. The shooting happened in the 200 block of the highway, between Interstate 55 and Old Highway 51, and investigators say no motive has been identified.
Sheriff Confirms One Dead, One Expected to Survive
Sheriff Sticker said one man was killed and another was injured in the shooting, according to NOLA.com. The surviving victim is expected to survive his injuries, per WWL-TV, which reported that both victims are male and that authorities have not publicly released their identities or ages. Officials had no other information immediately available, including a possible motive, and the investigation remains ongoing.
The precise location of the crime scene — the 200 block of Louisiana Highway 40 between Interstate 55 and Old Highway 51 — was detailed by Cedar News. The highway location was identified as the 200 block between Interstate 55 and Old Highway 51. A social media video about the shooting was posted around 1:30 a.m. local time, and the shooting appeared to investigators to be a drive-by, per the original report.
Parish Deputies Assisting Independence Police
Because Independence is a small municipality of roughly 1,630 residents, the Independence Police Department and Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office are investigating the shooting, according to the sheriff's office. Sheriff Sticker was identified as sheriff in a report from the Hammond Star.
If a suspect is identified, the case could result in criminal charges. The investigation remains ongoing.
A Pattern of Highway Violence in Tangipahoa Parish
This is not the first drive-by shooting to strike the parish's transportation corridors in recent months. On February 22, 2026, an 18-year-old driver was killed in a drive-by shooting on an Interstate 55 entrance ramp near Hammond, a case that led to an accessory arrest months later, as Hoodline previously reported in its piece on the Hammond on-ramp killing. In November 2025, an Independence police officer was shot and wounded in the leg during an early-morning pursuit and traffic stop near town, according to WBRZ, an incident that touched off a multi-agency manhunt before an arrest was made.
Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa lists 1-800-554-5245 as a contact number, according to Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa. Trey Ramey was taken into custody and booked on charges, and officials said the investigation into the shooting continues.
