NEW ORLEANS — The iconic neon lights outside Mandina's went dark this weekend as the restaurant mourned the loss of a young server killed outside their front door.
According to our partners at The Times Picayune | New Orleans Advocate, the 23-year-old shot outside Mandina's was Hilbert Walker III.
Police say Walker was serving customers outside the restaurant around 8:20 p.m. Friday night when a car pulled up and two people got out. Those two unidentified people shot Walker, killing him on the spot.
NOPD Interim Superintendent Michelle Woodfork says Walker was the killers' target, but a stray bullet went through the restaurant's wall and wounded a woman dining inside.
Woodfork says the second victim is a tourist from Chicago, in town for Jazz Fest and celebrating her friend's birthday at Mandina's when she was shot.
"We want to offer our condolences to the victims of this heinous incident," Woodfork said. "We are doing everything in our power to make sure incidents like these don't happen again."
The shooting happened on the first night of Jazz Fest at a restaurant that's been a New Orleans landmark for more than 90 years. It's another black eye for a city trying to leave its reputation as the "Murder Capitol of the America" behind.
"We want our citizens and visitors to know that our officers remain actively patrolling in the districts," Woodfork said. "Our districts are adequately staffed with man power and also there are extra patrols in and around the festival.”
Police say a private security guard was on duty at the time of the shooting. According to Woodfork, the guard shot at the killers, but they escaped and remain at-large as of Saturday night.
Mayor Cantrell issued a statement before the Woodfork spoke on the shooting saying:
“A celebratory day was later marred by another senseless act of violence. My deepest condolences go out to the victims of this terrible crime and their loved ones,” said Cantrell. “The people of New Orleans stand united in their rejection of the gun violence plaguing our nation and our community. We need stronger gun laws and penalties as well as accountability across all public safety agencies if we're ever going to end this crisis. I have complete confidence in the New Orleans Police Department to apprehend whoever is responsible, and I thank them for their hard work and determination. It will continue to take all of us working together to heal our community and make New Orleans a safer place for all.”