NEW ORLEANS — Police say a man was beaten and his family says he is fighting for his life after he apparently accidentally stepped on someone’s shoes in the area near where the Marigny meets the French Quarter on September 24.
According to the NOPD, the victim, who they did not identify, was in the 500 block of Frenchmen Street shortly after midnight when he stepped on the perpetrator’s shoes as he was walking by.
Investigators said the perpetrator then came up to the victim from behind and punched him, causing him to fall to the ground and then punched him several more times until he was unconscious.
The perpetrator and another person then walked into the French Quarter.
The NOPD released a photo they say shows the suspect and another person and are asking anyone who can identify them to call Eighth District detectives at 504-658-6080 or Crimestoppers anonymously at (504) 822-1111.
Scott Wagner’s family said he has traumatic brain injury after the attack and may not make it.
They say Wagner moved to New Orleans from Pittsburgh two years ago and “loved it here.”
They’d been told that Wagner left his job at Mr. Ed’s Seafood in the Quarter and stopped at Check Point Charlie in the Marigny when he was attacked and knocked unconscious.
“It’s a horrible thing to see him like this, and we would like some answers. We’ve called (police) 14 times and we have not had one return call as to what is happening,” Wagner’s sister Gloria Cranmer said earlier this week.
In a statement, police told WWL-TV, “The NOPD is actively investigating this incident as a second-degree battery. Upon arriving at the scene, the victim appeared to be alone and officers could not speak to the him to get any information let alone contacts.”
The NOPD also said, “Investigators have not been made aware of the family's request for information.”