Still recovering from his injuries, the security guard injured in the Bourbon Street shooting on Feb. 24 is now resting at Touro Infirmary Hospital.
His aunt spoke exclusively with WWL-TV Friday evening as she was on her way to visit her nephew.
“He’s fighting to get better. He’s not gonna let go,” she said.
His aunt said he can barely feel anything in his arm and fingers, but right now the 23-year-old security guard injured in the horrific shooting is resting.
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“It’s still hard dealing with it, but I’ma be here with him every step of the way,” she said.
At his request WWL-TV is not releasing her name but the aunt of security guard "N.K." said he is getting better.
“He sustained a lot of nerve damage and some minor spinal cord injury in his shoulders, arms and hands,” she said.
The shooting happened Feb. 24 around 3:15 a.m. in the 400 block of Bourbon Street at Willie’s Chicken Shack.
NOPD Chief Shaun Ferguson said N.K. was trying to remove the suspect, Louis Barnes, from the location because he allegedly was selling drugs.
Investigators said a struggle happened between the two men and the suspect then took the guard’s gun and began firing, hitting N.K. in the neck.
“My mom called me because he didn't come home. She saw something on the news about a security officer getting shot at Willie's Chicken and she just called me in a panic," N.K.'s aunt said. "So I got up and started riding around trying to see what was going on and we made it to the hospital and found out it was him."
N.K.’s aunt said he remembers the moment the gun went off.
“When he felt the gunshot wound to the neck, he said he fell to the ground and his body was just numb,” she said.
36-year-old Julie Couvillon, who was walking down the street, was shot as well. She eventually died at the hospital.
"I don't even know how to explain it, and our hearts go out to her family as well. You know, they have our deepest sympathy,” the aunt said.
N.K.’s aunt said he’s been in the trauma unit most of the week and was just admitted to Touro Hospital two days ago. His aunt says he will undergo rehabilitation therapy. Right now, she said he’s just taking things one day at a time.
The shooter, 37-year-old Barnes is now in jail on a $1.5 million bond.
“I don't even have a message for him. I just wanna know why. He was at work doing his job. He wasn't bothering anybody,” the aunt said.
One thing that she is thankful for are the prayers and well wishes from everyone around her.
"We wanna thank Mayor Cantrell. She stopped by to visit, she's also been calling to check up on him. It's overwhelming actually, it's overwhelming. And we just want to thank everybody for the love, support and everything,” she said.
A GoFundMe account has been set up to help with N.K.’s medical expenses.
"He just can't believe it happened and he just want to recover so he can get back to work," the aunt said.
Barnes now faces charges of second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder.