FERRIDAY — Eight people were arrested this week in connection to a Tuesday shooting that Ferriday Police say they believe involved a newly formed area gang.

Ferriday Interim Police Chief Derrick Freeman said department officials are investigating a group of Ferriday residents who are calling themselves “the Swim Team” and were involved in a shooting in the Delaware Avenue area Tuesday.

Freeman said members of the alleged gang called three Sicily Island residents Tuesday and told them to come down to Ferriday to fight.

“Apparently, a fight ensued between the Swim Team members and the boys from Sicily Island, and then all of a sudden the Sicily Island boys had guns put in their faces,” Freeman said. “Two of the gang members started shooting, but we’re still not sure if they were shooting at them, shooting in the air or what.”

Freeman said an FPD officer patrolling through the area heard the gunshots near the intersection of Delaware Avenue and Eighth Street and saw the three Sicily Island residents running away from the crowd of people.

“The crowd immediately dispersed, but the officer made contact with the Sicily Island residents who immediately came down to the police station to file a report,” Freeman said. “After they started talking with our investigators, the names of everyone involved in the shooting came about.”

Seven Ferriday residents and one Alexandria resident were arrested including:

• Jasmine Leonard, 18, 506 Florida Ave., Ferriday, on a charge of principal to attempted second-degree murder.

• Leondris T. Jackson, 18, 507 8th St., Ferriday, on a charge of principal to attempted second-degree murder.

• Gregory L. Blair Jr., 18, 507 8th St., Ferriday, on a charge of principal to attempted second-degree murder.

• Robert K. Johnson, 17, 27393 Louisiana 15 Apt. 136, Ferriday, on a charge of principal to attempted second-degree murder.

• Karl Hall, 18, 510 Love St., Ferriday, on a charge of principal to attempted second-degree murder.

• Khadijah Regina Harbor, 18, 1211 Madison St., Alexandria, on a charge of criminal street gang activity.

• Destiny Mays, 18, 200 Chauvin St., Ferriday, on charges of possession with intent to distribute, introduction of contraband into a penal institution and criminal street gang activity.

• Iriel Kenya Jefferson, 17, 906 Louisiana Ave., Ferriday, on charges of simple possession of marijuana, introduction of contraband into penal institution and criminal street gang activity.

No bond had been set for any of the suspects as of Friday afternoon.

Freeman said investigators are still working to find and arrest two more Ferriday residents they believe were involved in the shooting. Police are also attempting to find out more information about the alleged Swim Team gang.

“We’re still working to find out what this thing is exactly, but we will not have any organized crime in Ferriday, so everybody that’s a part of this so-called gang is going to be put in jail,” Freeman said. “We don’t want to be investigating homicides in Ferriday when we can do the work now to prevent all that from happening.”