NEW ORLEANS — There’s still blood on the steps outside a home in Hollygrove after a Thursday night shooting left a woman injured. She was driving her two kids to soccer practice when she made a wrong turn, ending up at Conrad Playground at the intersection of Edinburgh and Mistletoe Streets.
“When she realized where she had gotten to, she tried to turn the car around and then a hail of bullets started coming at her car,” said New Orleans Jesters youth soccer academy director Kenny Farrell.
Farrell says the practice was underway about seven blocks away at Gilbert Stadium, next to Cuccia-Byrnes Playground.
“It was a lot of shooting,” said Farrell.
Farrell says he and the players knew those shots weren’t close, but there was concern.
“I think most people felt there was something going on further in the neighborhood that we need to be careful about. We didn’t realize it was one of our parents that got shot and two of our kids in the car.
The mom was shot in the hand. The kids were not hurt. New Orleans police say more than 60 shell casings were found around Conrad Playground after a group of people started shooting at each other. Police say stray bullets hit the woman and her SUV, which had a soccer ball and backpack in the back seat.
“The sheer amount of bullets that were fired at this car; If you did not believe in divine intervention beforehand, you should believe in it now,” said New Orleans councilmember at-large JP Morrell.
Morrell knows the victim and says the NOPD’s classification of the crime as an “aggravated battery by shooting” is a mischaracterization.
“It boggles my mind because there’s simply no logic to support it,” said Morrell. “I mean, 72 bullets fired at a car is obviously intended to kill someone. That is attempted murder, plain and simple.”
A crime camera from NOPD is mounted at interaction, but police would not confirm whether it recorded what happened. Morrell says crime is completely out of control and the council’s priority.
“It is obvious that those people who are perpetrating crime feel no fear of repercussions and no fear of being caught,” said Morrell.
Even though he takes pride in bringing vibrancy to what he calls “challenged” neighborhoods, Farrell says soccer practice will be moved for safety.
“It’s unfortunate because most of the people who live in that neighborhood are great people,” said Farrell. “It’s always spoiled by a few, but it gives us no options at this point.”
So far, no arrests or suspects have been named in this case. If you know anything, call New Orleans Police.