NEW ORLEANS — A section of crime scene tape blows in the breeze on a lamp post near Bourbon and Toulouse streets in the New Orleans French Quarter.
This is where police say a man was shot and critically injured early Saturday morning.
Chris Orazco who works for Tropical Isle says he was just down the street and saw what happened.’
“We heard some screaming, but it wasn’t like somebody in distress screaming, it was somebody mad screaming,” Orazco said. “That’s what it sounded like.”
He says the screaming led to gunfire.
“It was about six, I guess, it’s just a couple of blocks from our main building at 721 and I just heard pop. It was loud. It was right there. Then I heard pop, pop, pop, three or two shots.”
Police say the man was arguing with a woman when a second woman walked up, pulled a gun, and shot him in the chest.
Friends identified the victim as a well-known drummer C.J. Edwards who plays in a number of local bands.
The spokeswoman for University Medical Center said that Edwards’ family asked for privacy and only wanted to share that they are sending prayers at this time.
According to the NOPD, two others were struck and wounded in the legs by gunfire.
“Very unusual,” Orazco said. “It was a pretty day, too. It was very odd the way it started out.”
Saturday night, police arrested Shawnnika Smith, 30, in connection with the shooting.
She was booked on a number of charges including one count of attempted second-degree murder, two counts of aggravated second-degree battery and aggravated assault with a firearm.
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