53-year-old Darriel King was shot outside of Wit’s Inn Bar in Mid-City just after 11 p.m.
“He was a wonderful human being, personable, and would help people genuinely,” Mid-City Neighborhood Organization member Thomas Ecker said.
According to a spokesperson for Wit’s Inn, King was shot after he refused to let a man, who he believed was too young and drunk, into the bar. That man was also carrying a gun.
Neighbors say the block has a crime problem, and it’s getting worse.
One area business owner says he was threatened recently just for asking someone to move their car.
“Right before they took off, they decided to shoot a pistol or revolver pistol in the air,” One business owner said. “They called up the location and said, ‘Hey, we're going come back and shoot y'all and the two NOPD officers there.’”
City leaders have expressed concern over the ongoing problems on Canal and Carrolton. Now, they’re speaking out.
“I’m disgusted, and I’m so ready to end violent crime in this city,” New Orleans City Council Member Eugene Green said.
On Monday afternoon, the New Orleans City Council released a statement asking Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick to take action against the business using the padlock ordinance, a tool that gives a police chief power to shut down a business that harbors criminal activity.
Councilman Joe Giarrusso said, “The tragic death of the security guard at Wit's Inn is heartbreaking and infuriating. We have been reporting and escalating quality-of-life problems at this location to the City for a long time and have asked for action against the bar's liquor license. The City took no action on the license. It shouldn't take someone dying – who was doing their job to protect bar patrons – to spur action. No one else should be hurt or killed for enforcement to take place here. It is time for the City to act urgently and against this bar's liquor license."
“We've watched as the, I guess you could say, this little entertainment corridor slowly degenerated. I knew this day was going to come,” Ecker said.
If you know anything about the incident, call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.