JEFFERSON PARISH, La. — Louisiana police on Monday released surveillance footage of the double homicide at a gun shop and shooting range that left three people dead, including the suspect, and another two injured.
The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office showed edited clips at a Monday press conference of the deadly crimes unfolding.
Jefferson Parish Sheriff identifies alleged gunman who killed 2 people, hurt 2 more at a Metairie gun shop as Joshua Williams. Shares edited video of mass shooting. Williams also died at the scene. pic.twitter.com/SZsP1t2U1P
— Jennifer Crockett (@CrockettWDSU) February 22, 2021
The Saturday shootout that left three people dead and wounded two more at a Louisiana gun store and shooting range began when a customer refused to unload his weapon, an operator of the store said.
The Jefferson Parish coroner said Herbert “Noah” Fischbach, 47, of Jefferson, Veronica Billiot, 59, of Belle Chasse, and Joshua Jamal Williams, 27, of New Orleans were killed in the shootout Saturday afternoon at Jefferson Gun Outlet in Metairie, Fox News reported.
Sheriff Joseph Lopinto previously said the shooter initially struck two people inside, and then several other people — whether employees or store customers — opened fire on the shooter, both inside and outside of the building.
Lopinto said two other people also were hit by gunfire and were hospitalized in stable condition.
Michael Mayer, an executive at the gun outlet, identified Williams as the suspect. This information was confirmed by officials.
He told The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate that Williams entered the gun shop on Saturday with a loaded firearm and was asked to unload it by a compliance officer.
Mayer said Williams “became agitated by the request and pulled his gun out of his pants and started firing.” He said employees and customers returned fire and “eliminated the threat.”
Mayer also said he was limited in what he could tell news organizations since the investigation remains fluid.
Williams’ family said he’d gone to spend family time at the range. It was unclear if additional family members were with him.
Sources said Williams had carried a pistol into the range at 6719 Airline Drive when staff told him to unload his weapon. They said he fired one round before fatally shooting Fischbach, who was working as the store clerk.
Herbert Fischbach’s wife Nancy also confirmed that he was one of the three killed. She said Fischbach was a special effects specialist and an armorer, who supervised weapon usage on film sets.
Herbert “Noah” Fischbach with his wife, Nancy. (
Nancy Fischbach said her husband had been working at the gun shop because of COVID-19 restrictions on the film industry. She believes he died helping people inside the store.
“He was amazing,” Fischbach said of her husband of 14 years. “Words can’t describe the person he was. He was so genuine, so real, so true. He was my soulmate.”
“He helped people,” Fischbach added. “He bent over backwards for everybody…he would not hurt anybody unless they did something wrong.”
