Fireworks in the French Quarter

Beware of trio of robbers: For the second time in 2 weeks, bullets flew in the French Quarter, leaving a victim wounded.

Tuesday morning (7.1.08) around 2:10 a.m. on Royal Street at Toulouse Street, gunfire erupted as 3 black hoodlums tried to rob a white couple. A neighbor in the area reported the male victim pushed his female companion to safety in the doorway of the Elliot Gallery at 540 Royal St. as one of the robbers opened fire, shooting several times, striking the victim in the leg.

There is speculation this may be the same trio of armed robbers who are stalking the Toulouse Street corridor and robbed another couple over the weekend in the Quarter.

In that robbbery, a white couple walking in the 500 block of Toulouse Street near Chartres Street on Saturday (6.28.08) at 4:15 a.m., were held up by 3 black men armed to the hilt. While 2 of the black dudes, one armed with a black handgun and the other with a silver-colored handgun, held the victims at gunpoint and told them to be quiet, the third thief emptied the victims pockets. They then fled down Toulouse on foot.

The robbers were described as 17 to 24 years old, 2 of them as 5'11" tall, weighing 130 pounds, and the other as 5'8" tall, weighing 120 pounds.

The 8th District hasn't reported on Tuesday morning's incident, and was delinquent on supplying info on Saturday's robbery. Ofc. Brian Shubert, who compiles the reports, is on vacation this week; his replacement has found it a daunting task to compile all this information. Seems that's a good argument for just sending out the Incident Reports intact as the 8th District used to, before Big Chief Warren Riley got in a snit.

Arrests in brutal hold-up: 8th District Taskforce officers last Wednesday (6.25.08) apprehended a pair of punks wanted as suspects in the armed robbery of a 58-year-old man in the 500 block of Toulouse on 6.19.08. Arrested were James Dawson, 22, (left) and Tony Graps, 21, (right) Each was charged with armed robbery with a firearm and each has a $100,000 bond keeping them in OPP.

According to the police report, one perpetrator got behind the victim and began to strike him with his pistol, knocking him to the ground. The other perp took a wallet from the victim's pocket. The robbers then fled on Chartres Street.

According to a friend of the victim, the robbers got only $7 from the victim's pockets but "then proceeded to kick and punch him while (he was) lying on the ground protecting himself."

Stabbing on Bourbon Street: A white guy trying to break up a fight between his friends and a black gang in the 200 block of Bourbon Street on Saturday morning (6.28.08) at 3:35 a.m. realized only later that he had been stabbed.

He told police he felt one of the blacks punch him in the back of his neck, but only after the black gang fled and a friend of his told him he was bleeding did he find the stab wound in his neck.

Police arrested Donnie J. Nelson, 27, and charged him with one count of aggravated battery and 2 counts of simple battery. He is being held on $25,000 bond in OPP.

Rash of pursesnatchings: At least 3 pursesnatchings marred the weekend, with only one arrest noted:

• Friday (6.27.08), 2:10 a.m., Burgundy and Frenchmen streets: A white woman and friend were about to enter a bar when 2 black dudes attempted to take the woman's purse.

One thug, in his 20's, 5'10" tall, weighing 150 pounds, managed to get the purse and fled on foot up Frenchmen toward Esplanade Avenue; the other who spoke a foreign language, also in his 20's and weighing 150 pounds, 5'6" tall, fled on Burgundy toward Elysian Fields Avenue.

• Saturday (6.27.08), 12:45 a.m., 300 block of Julia Street: A white woman and a friend were walking toward Commerce Street when an Hispanic male came up from behind and grabbed the woman's purse.

The thief was described as in his 20's, 5'7" tall, weighing 180 pounds.

• Monday (6.29.08), 3:50 a.m., 100 block of Bourbon Street: A white woman walking along Bourbon felt a bump from a black dude who took her purse from under her arm and then fled on foot.

Police later arrested Randy Cotton, 27, and charged him with pursesnatching and possession of stolen property. He's being held on $85,000 bond in OPP.

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As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome at NOcrimeline@gmail.com..

Thom Kahler