By Jesse Wright

Jesse.wright@panews.com

Port Arthur police responded to gunshots at the Joe Louis Apartments late Thursday evening.

According to Viola Anderson, the great-aunt of the two victims, two children, a 3 and 4 year old, were hit by gunfire in the legs at about 9 p.m.

Police on the scene would not comment as to motive and they would not say whether they had a suspect.

Anderson said the children were sleeping in an upstairs apartment as many of the downstairs apartments sustained flood damage and were not habitable. However, it is not clear that the children were the targets as a silver car below the second story apartment had been shot into.

According to Anderson, the children and their mother were taken to St. Elizabeth’s in Beaumont.

Their condition was not immediately known.

Anderson said she did not live at the apartments, but she said the units are well-known for their violence.

“Somebody is always dying back here,” she said. “They’re always shooting.”