NEW ORLEANS — Three young adults say their lives have been forever changed, now that they are among the hundreds of violent crime survivors in New Orleans.
So, they are speaking out from their hospital beds, hoping those with political power will hear them.
Dance choreographer Joshua Parker and DJ Frederick Palmer have been in the hospital since Easter Sunday. Early that evening, along with Fred's fiancée, they went to set up the music at a block party for families in the Circle Food Market parking lot. When they went to grab something to eat from a food truck under the Claiborne I-10, a stranger took an interest in Fred’s fiancée.
“(He) started advancing toward my fiancée, but she didn't pay him no mind and he insisted,” remembers Frederick Palmer, 29, a shooting survivor.
She turned him away and the three got in their car.
“Couple of moments later, gunshots just start coming in the car. He start firing at the car multiple times,” he continued.
His fiancée was shot in the neck. She's in pain, and swollen but will be but okay. Joshua had surgery to fix his broken bones and a shredded artery in his arms. Fred is out of surgery, but a bullet tore through his digestive system. He has since been unable to eat and hopes he'll recover.
“Hopefully, I'm praying to the highest God I don't get, because I have three lovely kids, you know, I'm a super dad, and you know I want to really be healthy,” said Palmer.
Now, they're hoping as innocent victims speaking out that City leaders will do something.
When asked where the answer lies to fix crime, they both answered, “The mayor, the police, police department, DA, everyone.”
For the mayor, they say, be more proactive and aggressive against crime. On police, they want higher numbers and visibility at community events.
“She should put enough cops out there on the scene so everyone could feel protected, or she needs to speak out and say like, ‘OK this violence has to really stop.’ Like this is your community. Like we put you in office,” Parker said.
And on the message to the Orleans District Attorney, they say prosecute the criminals.
“People telling you, and showing you, sending you, all kind of footage in the community. It's pouring in evidence. Hold the people accountable for that, they actions, is maybe he wouldn't be out next week trying to, you know, doing the same thing,” Palmer said.
In the meantime, the two men can't work to bring in income, and the pain goes deeper than the physical wounds.
“It's been traumatizing, like this whole week, it's been, I've been catching nightmares about the event,” Palmer said.
NOPD has not gotten back with our request, to tell us if anyone has been arrested in this case.