NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans police made a quick arrest in Wednesday night’s violent carjacking in Mid-City.
The drummer for the popular New Orleans band Imagination Movers says he’s lucky to be alive after someone stuck a gun in his face and stole his SUV in front of his home.
The Bean Gallery in the 600 block of North Carrollton is a popular gathering spot for locals in search of a cup of coffee or a bite to eat.
Wednesday evening, shortly before 8 p.m., Kyle Melancon was carjacked just steps from the coffee shop.
The Imagination Movers drummer posted about the crime on social media.
Melancon said, “Just got carjacked. Gun in my face. In front of my house. Five steps from a coffee shop with at least thirty people outside. I'm in total shock right now but grateful to be alive.”
He also posted, “Drums, glasses, phone...all gone.”
Coffee shop customers called the carjacking awful – but not surprising.
“It just seems like it keeps happening over and over,” customer Nick Guth said. “Kind of get used to it.”
“As crazy as it sounds, I feel like I hear stories like that relatively often and I’ve honestly met plenty of people who have been in the situation,” customer Alec Devaprasad said.
According to the New Orleans City Council crime dashboard, carjackings are down 45 percent from the same time last year with 112 carjackings in the city so far this year.
“I live right up the street and for a while there were bad carjackings last year, so I was more vigilant,” customer Tina McCrory said. “Now I’m less vigilant. I guess I should be more vigilant. It sucks. I’m glad the guy’s okay.”
Melancon updated his post, saying, “The car has been found! Thank y’all so much for your concern. It is appreciated.”
“I feel like it’s part of living in New Orleans, it sucks, but I don’t want to live anywhere else,” McCrory said.
Thursday afternoon, the NOPD announced an arrest in the case.
Police say they took Dewitt Madison Sr., 30, into custody for the carjacking and a later armed robbery near Carondelet and Perdido Streets in the CBD.
In the later armed robbery police say four victims reported an unknown man armed with a firearm demanded their property.
The victims complied and then left the area on foot.
According to police, the robber allegedly fired a gunshot toward one of the victims before fleeing in a vehicle matching Melancon’s SUV.
The NOPD revealed Madison was still in the stolen vehicle when officers finally caught up with him at a business on Chef Highway.
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