NEW ORLEANS — Video of an off-duty NOPD officer being beaten and allegedly robbed early Monday leaves a lot of unanswered questions.
The NOPD says they responded to the 700 block of St. Louis Street early Monday morning. Security video from a nearby business shows the scene at 2:52 a.m. In the bottom right corner of the video, it shows the off-duty cop on a bicycle while on his phone.
He pedals down Saint Louis by a large group of people gathered in front of the Saint Louis Market.
At 2:53 a.m., the video shows the off-duty officer talking to a few of the people. As he turns around and continues to bike towards Bourbon Street, some of the people follow him until they all go out of frame.
Suddenly, at 2:54 a.m. the off-duty officer reappears on the surveillance video. The video shows him being beaten by at least five individuals as more watch. Eventually, the officer is pushed to the ground.
By 2:56 a.m., he gets up and continues to talk to the group until they go out of frame again.
At 2:59 a.m., the group moves in front of the camera again, and by 3 a.m., a brawl begins when someone is shoved and the off-duty cop swings at another person.
This leads to several people fighting throughout Saint Louis Street. The fighting continues, moving further down Saint Louis towards Royal.
By 3:05 a.m., the video shows emergency lights reflecting off the business owner's building.
The NOPD said they arrested a 16-year-old suspect in connection with the crime. He was booked into the Juvenile Justice Intervention Center on charges of second-degree battery and simple robbery.
The NOPD said the officer's name will not be released, as they don't release the names of victims in criminal incidents.
Police confirmed that during the incident, the officer's personal handgun was taken, and it has not yet been recovered.
The NOPD said they are continuing to search for more suspects.