A Jeanerette man is in jail on 15 counts of attempted murder after hitting an 8-year-old child while firing into a crowd on N. Neco Town Road in Iberia Parish Tuesday afternoon.

People at the scene identified Jonas Travin Hawk, 26, as the person who drove by a group of people outside a home in the 2200 block of N. Neco Road near Admiral Doyle Drive shortly after 4 p.m. The witnesses told law enforcement officials that Hawk fired several shots into the crowd, hitting the young victim.

Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office investigators were informed that the child had been taken to a local hospital suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim was transported to a hospital in Baton Rouge. According to an IPSO spokesman, the child was listed in critical condition.

The IPSO spokesman said investigators found that there was an ongoing dispute between Hawk and the victim’s uncle.  At the time Hawk fired into the crowd there were 15 people in the group, including the victim’s uncle. 

Jeanerette City Marshal’s Office deputies later detained Hawk and held him for IPSO investigators. He was booked into the Iberia Parish Jail on 15 counts of attempted first-degree murder.

Hawk is being held on $350,000 bond.