By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – St. John Parish Sheriff’s deputies are looking for suspects in connection with a drive-by shooting early Sunday morning near a newly opened LaPlace nightclub, according to a release from the Sheriff’s Office.

A 39-year-old St. James man was shot three times in his left leg while his car was stopped along Airline Highway about 2 a.m. Sunday, said Lt. Andy Breaux, a spokesman for the Sheriff’s Office.

Breaux said the man, whose name was not released, had been arguing with another man inside Club 1107 on Airline Highway in LaPlace before the shooting took place. Breaux said security guards at the club asked the two men to leave.

The building wherenthe club is located formerly housed Club Xquisite, which was shut down in August following the shooting death of a 17-year-old patron in the club’s parking lot.

According to a report from police, the victim and his 25-year-old wife left the club in the victim’s car and headed eastbound on Airline Highway, and the car was stopped by a burgundy sedan blocking the highway near McReine Road.

Breaux said the sedan’s driver got out of his car and began firing several shots at the victim’s vehicle. Following the shooting, the victim was able to drive himself to River Parishes Hospital in LaPlace for treatment. His condition is not known.

Later in the morning police stopped a vehicle fitting the description of the shooter’s car in New Orleans. Breaux said one of the three men in the car was detained and transferred to the St. John Sheriff’s Detective Bureau for questioning. Breaux said deputies have not made any arrests in connection with the shooting.

Anyone with any information on the incident should contact St. John Sheriff’s Detective Walter Stevens at 985-652-6338.