NEW ORLEANS — A 9mm handgun, a stolen car and a crash.
Jaclyn Stubblefield’s world turned upside down in a matter of minutes Friday.
An armed man stole her car right in front of her Walnut Street home, then crashed into one of her neighbors cars just up the street.
Not knowing what was going on, Dr. Nicoloas Vergaras went running after the stolen car.
“I’m running at the car because I thought it was a hit and run and I was trying to get a picture of the license plate,” Vergaras said.
But after the car screeched to a stop, the armed man turned his gun on Vergaras.
“I know he had one second to shoot me and my life would be over,” he said.
Thankfully, no shots were fired and no one was hurt before the armed man ran away.
No arrests have been made in the case, but New Orleans police tell us that officers detained someone near the scene for questioning.
For these neighbors though, the damage is already done.
“Just pure anger. Fear,” Stubblefield said when we asked her what was going through her head. “Frustration with the city. Because we should not have to live this way.”
Stubblefield said she believes the only way for New Orleans to become safer is if Mayor LaToya Cantrell is recalled, saying more people need to sign the petition calling for her recall from office.
She’s not alone. Neighbors we spoke with said crime has become a normal part of their lives and if it keeps getting worse, they might not stay here much longer.
“Our city government has got to get better,” one neighbor who asked to remain anonymous said. “People can’t live like this. If everybody leaves there will be nothing left. There’s no reason for people to come here.”
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