1 Woman Shot When Louisiana Parking-Lot Child Swap Turns Violent

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This time of the year, a lot of meet-ups are happening in parking lots and gas stations across the country.  The purpose of this holiday tradition is the time honored "hand-off" of children between divorced parents, and it is rarely a pleasant experience.

I remember being part of this shared experience myself, patiently waiting at a random truck-stop gas-station during the cold months waiting for my mom or my dad (whoever was designated as the "receiver" for this particular play).  The wait was usually long, and the transition from car-to-car was relatively quick (it seemed like there was a lot of effort to be done as fast a s possible) - then I was on to part 2 of what ever celebration was at hand.

Unfortunately for everyone involved, a planned meet-up of this nature did not go smoothly over the most recent Thanksgiving holiday.  According to Newsweek, the Walmart parking lot in Opelousas, Louisiana was the designated spot for just such an exchange on Thursday (Thanksgiving) - but the trade-off between parents did not go smoothly.

According the the report, a tense exchange turned violent as harsh words turned into gunfire just after 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.  Although none of the children involved were hurt, the aunt of the unnamed child(ren) at the center of the issue was struck in the upper torso and had to be rushed to an area hospital.

Luckily, Lafayette Police were able to catch up to 22-year-old Jordan Sereal and a female companion that Sereal reportedly fled the crime scene with a short time later.  The placed the pair under arrest, and they are are reportedly awaiting an official transfer to Opelousas to face charges.

The aunt who was reportedly wounded during the altercation is currently listed in stable condition.