NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans police are looking for the gunman who shot and killed 14-year-old Octavius Wells in the St. Claude neighborhood. He died next to a driveway in the 1600 block of Lesseps Street.
Police said officers responded to shots fired in the area around 9:45 Thursday night. They found the teen lying on the ground next to a driveway. He was shot several times and pronounced dead at the scene.
The shooting happened in front of Israel London’s home.
“We heard the commotion and then we came out and we just saw the scene, what happened, you know, the guy who got killed laying on the ground,” London said.
Another neighbor told WWL-TV, she heard 4 shots and called 911. So far, police have not released many details about the shooting.
George Reno lives around the corner from where the boy was shot. He is not surprised at the victim’s young age.
“The neighborhood is pretty much quiet for the most part,” Reno said. “But when you have folks coming in and out of the neighborhood now, folks speeding off Poland Avenue and coming through, you may see any kind of cars, youngsters driving the cars flying through here.”
This was the 11th teenager killed in New Orleans since the beginning of the year. According to the independent Metropolitan Crime Commission, nine of the victims were 17 years old or younger.
A neighbor who did not want to be identified said it was sad to hear another young person was gunned down on the streets of the city.
"The kids and stuff, pretty much like the wild, wild west,” the neighbor said. “Our police force is decreased. Not a lot of patrols. It’s just like they can run rampant, you know.”
If you can help solve this murder call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.