A shooting on a residential block of Alexandria's Evergreen Street left one person with non-life-threatening injuries on Tuesday morning, but police say they're now stuck because the victim and witnesses won't talk. Officers responded to the 3500 block of Evergreen Street at approximately 10:15 a.m. on September 29, found a gunshot victim, and sent that person to the hospital. The Alexandria Police Department is investigating, but has publicly flagged a lack of cooperation as a major obstacle to making an arrest.
According to KALB, the victim and witnesses have not been cooperative with investigators, a dynamic APD says is hampering the case. The outlet reports the department is now asking anyone with information to call APD's Detective Division at (318) 441-6416, reach APD Dispatch at (318) 441-6559, or email tips to [email protected]. Local outlet UrbanCast described the scene differently in real time, reporting that multiple law enforcement vehicles swarmed the block as officers investigated, with one neighbor telling the outlet it sounded like a “shootout,” according to UrbanCast.
Chief Calls Witness Silence a Threat to Justice
Alexandria Police Chief Chad Gremillion addressed the pattern directly in a statement Wednesday, framing witness cooperation as central to whether the case — and others like it — gets solved. Per the department's account relayed by KALB, Gremillion said witness cooperation is critical to solving violent crimes and holding those responsible accountable. He added that when detectives have available information and evidence, they can act on it, but when victims or witnesses refuse to cooperate, investigations become significantly more difficult and can result in cases remaining unsolved.
Gremillion encouraged anyone with information to speak with investigators. Residents who don't want to deal with police directly have another option: anonymous tips about the Evergreen Street shooting can go to Crime Stoppers of CenLa at (318) 443-7867 or through the P3 Tipster mobile app, which can come with cash rewards, according to the Alexandria Police Department.
Part of a String of Daytime Shootings
Part of a String of Daytime Shootings Tuesday's shooting wasn't an isolated event. Less than three months earlier, on July 6, Alexandria police responded around 9:20 p.m. to another non-fatal shooting in the 4700 block of Green Street that similarly left one person hospitalized, per the Alexandria Police Department. In August, APD investigated yet another non-fatal shooting in the 2400 block of Harris Street after a victim showed up at a local hospital with gunshot wounds rather than calling it in from the scene.
The Evergreen Street corridor itself has a violent history. The area was the site of a fatal shooting in February 2017 at the intersection of Lee Street, a case in which the defendant was ultimately charged with second-degree murder and attempted armed robbery with a firearm, according to FindLaw.
A Chief With Federal Recognition, City Touting Lower Homicides
A Chief With Federal Recognition, City Touting Lower Homicides Gremillion is the department's chief.
Alexandria's overall crime rate sits at 93 incidents per 1,000 residents, giving residents roughly a 1-in-11 chance of experiencing property or violent crime, per a NeighborhoodScout analysis of FBI Uniform Crime Reporting data for 2024. For now, the Evergreen Street shooting remains unsolved, and whether it stays that way may hinge on whether anyone decides to talk.
