NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans police say nine people were shot Saturday night in New Orleans, just hours after a march to end gun violence took place about a mile away from the shooting.
Police say the shooting happened around 10:30 p.m. Saturday near a hotel in the 10000 block of South Service Road of Interstate 10 in New Orleans East. Seven adults (three women and three men) and two teenaged boys were wounded in the shooting.
The NOPD said the victims' injuries have ranged from minor to critical. One of the women was shot in the face.
The police department has not shared any information about a possible suspect or motive for the shooting. The police department did say there was some kind of gathering at that location before the shooting.
Just hours before those nine individuals were shot near a hotel, a march just a mile away led by mothers of murdered children called on the community to rally against gun violence.
New Life Ministry Baptist Church is a short walk away. The shooting has left a man of faith feeling a bit cynical.
“This craziness that’s going on in our world, I don’t know, I don’t see it getting better. I’m kind of losing a little hope and I’m a pastor,” said Dr. Kenneth Foy, the pastor of the church.
In New Orleans and nationwide, violent crime is increasing as we rebound from COVID-19. In the city, violent crime is up by significant double-digit percentages compared to this time last year. LSU Health Criminologist Dr. Peter Scharf said it’s too simplistic to just blame the pandemic for the surge in shootings and murders.
“So one, there’s a lot of stress right? There’s economic uncertainty, and that’s all true, but people don’t kill for those reasons. Did they disrupt the dope trail? That gets closer to what’s maybe going on,” said Dr. Scharf.
Roughly a week ago, the NOPD introduced Operation Golden Eagle. It will tap Louisiana State troopers to assist in patrolling for violent crime. Since that announcement, a 12-year-old girl was shot and killed in the Lower Ninth Ward and now the police are investigating the shooting of eight people in the East.
“There are people out there, that for whatever reason, there is no evidence of moral conscience,” said Dr. Scharf.
The NOPD is under tremendous pressure to recruit more officers and get them on the street. Scharf believes manpower is just one part of a complicated crime equation. He said the NOPD must improve in its intelligence gathering.
“How do you predict the cycle? can you really predict this? and especially when its revenge, you need on-the-ground intelligence.”
Pastor Kenneth Foy can’t predict the cycle of crime, but he offers up a sobering prediction.
“I still trust in God knowing that in the end, He wins, but so many people will be devastated in between,” said Foy.