New Orleans playground shooting: 16 wounded after gunman opens fire during filming of music video

A gunfight broke out at the Bunny Friend playground during an unauthorised block party in the city's upper ninth ward

A victim being helped by the emergency services at the scene (AP)

At least 16 people have been wounded in a shootout at a children’s playground in New Orleans.

Police have called for witnesses after a gunfight broke out at the Bunny Friend playground on Sunday evening in the city’s upper ninth ward.

Hundreds of people had gathered for a block party and to film a music video when violence broke out between two separate groups at around 6:15pm.

Police Superintendent, Michael Harrison, told the New Orleans Times-Picayune he believed multiple suspects had fired into the crowd of more than 300 people.

He said the shootings may have been gang related.

Witnesses said they saw one man with a silver-coloured machine gun fleeing the scene when the police arrived.

Police spokesman, Tyler Gamble, said investigators did not know how seriously wounded the victims are but no deaths have been reported.

New Orleans Mayor, Mitch Landrieu, has called on people who were in the park to come forward with information. Mr Landrieu said the shooting is “not something that can be tolerated in the city”.

Additional reporting by AP