NEW ORLEANS — Violence in the French Quarter continued Sunday night. The New Orleans Police Department says at least two people were shot on Bourbon Street.
The shooting happened in the 600 block of Bourbon Street around 7 p.m.
According to an NOPD report released Monday, the victims were at a Bourbon Street bar when they were asked to leave because it was closing time.
Police say the suspect, Shaquille Henderson, who is the bouncer at that location, forced the victims out into the street and physically attacked them. They say Henderson then produced a gun and shot both victims in the abdomen.
The unidentified victims were taken to the hospital and Henderson was arrested on the scene.
Henderson faces the following charges:
- LA R.S. 14.27-30.1 – relative to attempted second-degree murder (2 counts)
- LA R.S. 14:94 (F) – relative to illegal discharge of a firearm during a violent crime
- LA R.S. 14:95 – relative to illegal carry of a firearm
- LA R.S. 14:95.5 – relative to illegal possession of a firearm in an ABO
- LA R.S. 14:69.1 – relative illegal possession of a stolen firearm
- LA R.S. 40:1382 – relative to negligent carrying of a concealed weapon
It is unclear at this time what condition the victims were in when they were taken to the hospital. The investigation is ongoing.
Eric Brazile works as a security guard at a shop on Bourbon Street. He says he was in the back when the shooting happened. "She rushed and closed the door... A manager came a little later... He came and locked out and I came with him, and then he came right back in and opened the doors, the doors weren't closed more than 3-4 minutes," Brazile said.
He says last night everyone ran to the back of the shop. "I heard the shots, think it was about three shots," he said.
Glade Bilby, President of the French Quarter Citizens, says violent crime on Bourbon Street is always a concern. Bilby said, "Whenever you hear about something happening on Bourbon Street, it's certainly a concern because that's where people think the center of the French Quarter is."
Bilby says violence on Bourbon does have the potential to hurt tourism, saying, "I'm noticing less people in the French Quarter and I have lived here a long time and we need a vibrant economy both on a neighborhood level and tourist level."
French Quarter weekend crime
A woman was shot and killed Sunday morning in the 700 block of St. Peter Street in the French Quarter.
Police responded to a call of shots fired and, upon arrival, discovered one adult woman suffering from a gunshot wound. EMS arrived and pronounced the victim deceased at the scene.
In a third incident on Saturday, a French Quarter shop owner was assaulted with a railroad spike in the 800 block of Decatur Street.
The New Orleans Police Department identified the suspect as Leif Rosell. Police say Rosell hurled a brick through the window of the victim's establishment. When the victim came out from the business and confronted the perpetrator, a physical altercation ensued.
Rosell hit the victim in the head with a railroad spike before he fled the scene. The victim was taken to the hospital with head trauma, while police arrested Rosell.
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