Man arrested for allegedly shooting into air to scare juveniles throwing water balloons

Published 8:32 am Tuesday, May 9, 2023

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FERRIDAY, La. — Ferriday police quickly arrested a man suspected of shooting into the air to scare off juveniles throwing water balloons at Concordia Park Apartments.

Gunshots rang out at the apartments on Kyle Road Saturday, May 6.

Ferriday Police Department responded to a call of shots fired at approximately 8:33 p.m. and quickly identified Cortlin Harden as the perpetrator.

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He fired approximately six rounds into the air after several juveniles were throwing water balloons in the area. It’s believed one of the balloons may have hit Harden’s vehicle.

“Two wrongs certainly don’t make a right,” said Sam King, chief of police. “The juveniles throwing water balloons aren’t justified and neither was Mr. Harden’s response, which was reckless and showed an extreme indifference to life as those bullets could’ve hit an innocent person.”

This isn’t Harden’s first interaction with law enforcement as it pertains to the use of firearms, King said.

Harden was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a firearm (six counts), illegal use of weapons, possession of a schedule I controlled substance (marijuana), possession of schedule II (Xanax), possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, illegally carrying weapons while in possession of controlled substances and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Harden’s bond was set at $101,000.