Woman shot dead during fight between Hurricane Laura evacuees

Altercation involved two different groups from Port Arthur and Beaumont, investigators say

A woman has reportedly been killed during a gunfight between two groups of Hurricane Laura evacuees in Texas.

Police responded to reports of a fight involving around 60 people at around 12.30am on Thursday, The Austin American-Statesman reported.

Officers said an argument had broken out between two groups of Hurricane Laura evacuees and a fight ensued.

One person fired a gun after members of both groups pulled weapons, hitting a woman nearby who was not involved in the altercation, according to police.

The fight was reported to have involved one group of evacuees from Port Arthur and another from Beaumont. Reports to the police said the altercation involved around 60 people.

Upon arrival, investigators found the woman, who has not been identified, with a gunshot wound. Police said she was homeless.

She was taken to Dell Seton Medical Center where she later died, The Statesman said.

An autopsy of the woman’s body will be conducted, KPRC-TV reported.

Homicide detectives and crime scene specialists are said to be interviewing witnesses and searching for video of the shooting. No arrests have been made, according to the outlet.

Evacuation orders were put in place in Texas and Louisiana for roughly 500,000 people on Tuesday as the Hurricane Laura hurled towards the area.

In Louisiana, ABC News reported six deaths have been tied to the storm so far.