At least three individuals were killed and 13 others were injured in shootings across New Orleans over Memorial Day weekend.

Police said among those victims was a 12-year-old woman who had been fatally shot in a graduation celebration Sunday night.

"It is very sad, it is quite tragic. Our taxpayers are celebrating an achievement, a substantial achievement," New Orleans Police Department Chief Shaun Ferguson stated in a press conference Monday. "Twelve-year-old sufferer, deceased victim, was attending a graduation celebration when folks opted to fire the party attendees"

Two other victims, ages 18 and 19, were shot to the hospital for injuries which weren't life threatening, Ferguson said.

"She said,'They are shooting, they are shooting, they are shooting, I am scared!' I came rushing back," Williams told Nola.com.

A defendant has not yet been identified and a rationale is uncertain at this moment, authorities said.

Ferguson said three individuals were detained in relation to the 12 shooting episodes over the weekend.

"We had a very busy weekend," the main noted.

Officers arrived to locate a girl, 25, shot in the gut, along with the defendant, Wilton Anderson, 30, promptly fired , according to authorities.

He fled the scene but was later detained, Ferguson said.

Anderson was reserved on tried second-degree murder, two counts of aggravated assault, and resisting arrest, '' the chief said. It is thought that the girl was hurt by the defendant, according to authorities.

Both officers involved in the incident are on administrative duty during the analysis, Ferguson added.

Still another shooting over the weekend included a 17-year-old boy, that had been sitting within a vehicle just before midnight Saturday after two guys walked to the vehicle and shot himWDSU of New Orleans reported.

Even though New Orleans police recently employed a new program to deal with violent crime in town, the primary reiterated Monday that law enforcement officials can't fight crime by themselves. Ferguson stated they want the criminal justice system to do its own part.