Wednesday 21 September 2022 03:44 PM DA says LSU student's murder appears to be 'random', as locals speculate it was ... trends now
Prosecutors believe a Louisiana State University student gunned down in her was murdered at random - as rumors swirl locally the killing may have been part of a gang initiation.
Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore said in a recent interview with WBRZ that the motive for Allison Rice's shooting, which occurred on September 16 while the LSU student was sitting in her car at a railroad crossing, is still a mystery.
He admitted: 'This appears to be a totally isolated, random type act.'
Moore was asked Tuesday about claims within the local community that the 21-year-old's death was 'part of a gang initiation.' But he was unable to offer clarity to those allegations.
Baton Rouge DA Hillar Moore talked with WBRZ Tuesday about the 'random' shooting death of 21-year-old Louisiana State University student Allie Rice
'It's way too early to tell. We never want to get out in front of the evidence and the facts of the case.
'Surely, that's not anything that's jumping out to me as a person that has done this for years.' Moore told WBRZ's Chris Nakamoto during an interview Tuesday.
He was unable to offer any further insight into why the tragedy happened.
No arrests have been made, although local cops say they've been flooded with tips as to possible identities of the killers. It remains unclear how credible these tips are.
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Allie Rice celebrated her 21st birthday in May, according to a post on her Instagram
Officials with the Baton Rouge Police Department also echoed Moore's statement, telling the Louisiana news outlet that they have found no evidence that the LSU student, just months out from graduation, was targeted by her attacker.
The DA also stated that several federal law enforcement agencies have been brought in to work on the case, including the FBI, DEA, and the ATF.
'Everything that can possibly be done is being done by every agency, regardless of the initials behind their name,' Moore said.
The new information caused Allie's family to double down on their plea to the public.
'I just hope that somebody speaks up- somebody that knows something, somebody that was here in this area,' said Paul Rice, Allie's father. 'Please, if you've seen anything, call the police department, call crime stoppers, call somebody. Tell somebody, call me.'
Allie's family spoke with WBRZ about the brutal killing that occurred on September 16
The devastated father said earlier this week that he believes the shooting was a case of his daughter being ‘in the wrong place at the wrong time’.
Paul also said that his daughter had no enemies, and that the family doesn't believe she was being ‘stalked’.
Paul Rice, the father of Allison Rice has said news of her untimely death has left the family devastated
The Louisiana State University senior had been on her way home from a night out with friends and was shot dead at around 2.30am on Friday near railroad tracks.
She was found in her bullet-riddled car in Baton Rouge after partying with friends at a bar on Government Street less than five minutes from where she was killed.
Speaking to Fox News, Paul said: 'She's not anyone that had enemies. We don't think that she was being stalked or followed.
'That particular area of Baton Rouge has a history of this type of activity.'
'It should've never happened, this should not have happened, it should not have happened.
'She's a beautiful child. She had one year left to graduate LSU, she had her whole future ahead of her.
'When you hear the words from the police man saying, "she's with the coroner now, she didn't make it." It's the most devastating words you can ever hear.'
Allison Rice, 21, had been studying marketing at Louisiana State University and had been preparing for an internship before her tragic murder
