2 Mardi Gras season visitors slain in separate shootings

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Stray bullets in separate shootings have killed two people who were visiting New Orleans for the festivities leading up to Mardi Gras. One was a 15-year-old girl from Texas, the other a 33-year-old man from South Carolina. Local news reports said 15-year-old Heaven Nettles of Houston was standing in line at a food truck Saturday when gunfire killed her and two men who also were in line. The Times-Picayune / The New Orleans Advocate reports that relatives have identified Brandon Bovain of Orangeburg, South Carolina, as the man killed Friday. One of his brothers says detectives told the family that Bovain was in his vehicle in a hotel parking lot when people in two other vehicles shot at each other.