Hammond man arrested after bar fight led to drive by shooting

SLIDELL, La. (WVUE) - Slidell Police have arrested a man accused of a drive-by shooting after a bar fight.

Before 1 a.m. Wednesday morning (Jan. 26), officers responded to a report of gunshots in the area of Carey St. and Cousin St. When they arrived, they were told a man, identified as 28-year-old Matthew X. Wilcox, a convicted felon of Hammond, fired shots and fled in a white Dodge pickup.

Police were alerted to Wilcox’s vehicle on Old Spanish Trail.

According to police reports, after a traffic stop, Wilcox surrendered to police. Firearms and spent shell casings were found inside his truck.

Police say Wilcox was involved in an altercation at a bar and was asked to leave. He returned shortly after and fired several rounds at people standing near a street corner. No injuries were reported.

Wilcox was arrested and booked with felon in possession of a firearm. Warrants are pending for several counts of attempted first-degree murder.

“We are lucky no one was injured or killed during this incident. This man’s blatant disregard for human life has landed him with some serious charges that carry a lot of jail time, which is where he belongs. As always, our officers did a great job with their quick response and catching the person responsible. This is another example of why criminals need to think twice about coming to our city to commit crimes,” said Slidell Police Chief Randy Fandal.

Wilcox is currently being held at Slidell City Jail and will be later transported to St. Tammany Parish Jail.

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