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FOX SPORTS NEWS GRETNA, LOUISIANA  LM OTERO/AP PHOTOChef Paul Prudhomme reacts during an interview at his K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen in Harahan, La., Sept. 22, 2005. Prudhomme was hit by a falling bullet Tuesday.
Paul Prudhomme was setting up his cooking tent on the practice range at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans golf event when he felt a sting in his right arm, just above his elbow.
Prudhomme shook his shirt sleeve and a .22-caliber bullet fell to the ground, a spokesman for the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office said. Deputies believe Prudhomme was hit by a falling bullet, probably shot about 9:30 a.m. Tuesday from somewhere within a 1 1/2-mile radius of the golf course, said Col. John Fortunato. The celebrated chef didn't require medical attention. "He thought it was a bee sting," Fortunato said. "Within five minutes, he was back to doing his thing." Witnesses said the bullet cut Prudhomme's skin and put a hole in his white chef's coat. But Prudhomme continued cooking until he left the course about 3:30 p.m. Prudhomme was at the course to cook for players, their caddies and guests at the annual PGA Tour event, which begins Thursday and runs through Sunday.Paul Prudhomme was setting up his cooking tent on the practice range at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans golf event when he felt a sting in his right arm, just above his elbow.Prudhomme shook his shirt sleeve and a .22-caliber bullet fell to the ground, a spokesman for the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office said. Deputies believe Prudhomme was hit by a falling bullet, probably shot about 9:30 a.m. Tuesday from somewhere within a 1 1/2-mile radius of the golf course, said Col. John Fortunato. The celebrated chef didn't require medical attention. "He thought it was a bee sting," Fortunato said. "Within five minutes, he was back to doing his thing." Witnesses said the bullet cut Prudhomme's skin and put a hole in his white chef's coat. But Prudhomme continued cooking until he left the course about 3:30 p.m. Prudhomme was at the course to cook for players, their caddies and guests at the annual PGA Tour event, which begins Thursday and runs through Sunday.
bayoubuzz.com BY JEFF CROUERE Yesterday, famed chef Paul Prudhomme was grazed by a falling bullet while cooking for players and sponsors at the Zurich Classic at the TPC Louisiana. Chef Paul was cooking on a practice tee when he was hit by a .22-caliber bullet. According to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the bullet could have come from anywhere within a 1.5 mile radius of the course. They estimated the chances of being hit at one in 500 million. Despite the odds, the accident occurred and now it is national news. It is a horrible message that is being sent across the country. Certainly there have been very few, in any, incidents of spectators or participants being hit by falling bullets at any other PGA event in the history of the tour. What does this incident say about New Orleans? Obviously, it says the wrong things to people everywhere. The story has made CNN and will undoubted by picked up by other national news outlets. It will probably frighten people from coming to New Orleans and possibly discourage people from attending the tournament. Hopefully, people will put aside their fears and support this tournament which is so important to the economy of New Orleans. In the meantime, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and the New Orleans Police Department would be wise to increase patrols in the area to make sure that this incident is not replicated. It would have been a true tragedy if Chef Paul or one of the professional golfers had been seriously injured by a falling bullet. This nightmare of a public relations incident would have been magnified one hundred times. Fortunately, Chef Paul was only grazed and showed true Louisiana courage and spirit by continuing to cook for the Zurich Classic. He displayed the type of attitude that many people have in Louisiana. Despite the incident, Chef Paul was determined to do his job.This accident should be a wake-up call for local officials to do more to crackdown on the criminal element that is running wild in our metropolitan area. It is a problem that is not confined to New Orleans and the surrounding parishes, for Louisiana was just ranked as the second most dangerous state in the nation. Until crime is brought under control, the New Orleans area and the entire State of Louisiana will continue to suffer from negative publicity whether it is a falling bullet hitting one of our most famous chefs or a gang member being killed in a drug deal.
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