NEW ORLEANS — A manhunt is underway in rural Tennessee for the man police say shot and killed a woman in broad daylight in the Treme neighborhood.
The same man, identified as B.J. Brown, is also accused of shooting and wounding a police officer during a traffic stop in a small city west of Nashville.
The New Orleans shooting happened in the 1400 block of Iberville Street, Monday morning around 9:30 a.m.
Family members identified the victim as Cassandra Jones. They said Jones and Brown used to date.
According to a witness, Brown shot Jones in the back and she ran until she collapsed.
Video shows a man carrying a long gun walk up to Jones who was struggling on the ground and shoot her two more times.
New Orleans actor and activist Ameer Baraka saw the video. He called the murder shocking because of its brutality and for what he sees as a lack of outrage in the community.
“I didn’t see no football player, no basketball players, nobody tweeting about this,” Baraka said. “This was a Black woman that was brutally gunned down, murdered like a dog in the street. I wouldn’t shoot a dog like that, and nobody said a word.”
According to police, while on the run from New Orleans, Brown shot a police officer in Erin, Tennessee.
Erin Police Chief Mark Moore said the suspect got out of his car during a traffic stop and fired at the officer, striking him while he was in his patrol car.
“The officer returned fire at the suspect as he fled on foot from the scene,” Moore said.
The chief also said the officer’s injuries are not life threatening.
Tuesday afternoon, there were dozens of people looking for Brown in rough terrain in a wooded area where he escaped after the shooting
“Make no mistake whatsoever, this was an ambush on an officer,” Moore said. “Rest assured, we will not rest until he’s captured, justice is served whether it be by a jury or Jesus. That will be his choice.”
“It’s rough,” Houston County Tennessee Sheriff Kevin Sugg said. “We’ve got an oil line that runs through that area. We’ve got two powerlines that run through that area. It’s straight up and down, a lot of bluff, rock bluff, a few creeks that we’ve had to deal with. Make no mistake about it, where he leads, we’re going to follow.”
Back in New Orleans, Baraka is telling visitors to avoid the city right now.
"Listen man, do not come to New Orleans,” he said. “I just tweeted that. Don’t come to New Orleans. This is like Ukraine. You’re better going to Ukraine. Don’t come to New Orleans.”
Brown is wanted for second-degree murder in connection with the Treme shooting.
He is also facing a long list of serious charges in Tennessee.
The NOPD is asking anyone with information on the whereabouts of B.J. Brown or information related to the deadly shooting in the 1400 block of Iberville to contact the NOPD homicide unit at 504-658-5300 or call Crimestoppers anonymously at 504-822-1111 or toll free at 1-877-903-7867.
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