Shootout in the Quarter

No hush in the night: Wild, wild night last night (Sunday 7.12.09) just before midnight. Reading the various reports of what went on, it's hard to tell how many shots were fired, where all the shooting happened, or who the victim was. The NOPD says apprehensions were made, but don't say how many were arrested.

The official NOPD incident report says: 8th District officers arrived on the scene at 11:53 p.m. after receiving a call of gunshots fired at Bienville and Clinton streets (Clinton's essentially an alley running from Bienville to Iberville Street, between Decatur and N. Peters streets).

It goes on to say: "Witnesses observed several black males firing handguns at the location. Responding officers observed several black males fleeing the scene. These subjects were apprehended and are considered suspects in this case."

It also reports one gun was recovered near the scene. Police learned later that a 16-year-old black boy was taken in a private car to a local hospital with gunshot wounds to the abdomen and shoulder, and was undergoing surgery.

Another police report said the patrons were observed fleeing from Club Hush at Bienville and Decatur. The club is notorious for the violence that has flowed from there in the past year. French Quarter residents won an order from the alcohol beverage board last month that will force the club to shut its doors at the end of August. As a stipulation for allowing it to stay open for almost another 3 months, it was to institute all sorts of security measures, including posting off-duty cops outside, station 5 bouncers inside, scan all patrons with a metal detector as they entered. Sounds like that wasn't very effective last night.

Just for its sheer narrative energy, here's an eyewitness report from a correspondent of ours who works at a nearby club:

"Nothing like a good old-fashion(ed) wild, wild west shootout.

"We heard people screaming and running down Chartres near Iberville. Some guy walks by telling us there was a shootout on Decatur. We didn't hear any shots at all. He said some guy almost got hit crossing the street. He yelled, 'hey, asshole' (and) a bunch of Negroes jumped out and shot at him. Dunno if he was hit or not.

"Seconds later we hear 4-5 shots by Iberville and Decatur. An unmarked unit (NOPD police vehicle) flies up on the sidewalk in front of the old Rotolos (pizzeria), draws his gun and gets a Negro in a white T (shirt) on the ground. The cop hits the ground too for about 10 seconds. He throws him in the car and reverses down Iberville to Chartres.

"Two cops almost collide on Iberville and Chartres. A few more shots go off at Bienville and Chartres. I think a police SUV hit the building on that corner. One officer on a horse came by; we pointed him in the direction and he went. A few more shots.

"They apprehended 4 (need to find about 15 more) and the gun. We called a few cops on their cellphones to tip them off because 2 guys involved walked by us and was pointed out by some people. They met up with 4 others in front of Unique's Grocery (Unique General Store) on Royal (127 Royal St.) and got into a United cab and left.

"Three others continuously drove by in a red car till I finally left--pistol in hand, of course. Great New Orleans night."

Speaking of bars: Despite the 8th District putting out an arrest warrant on a guy they think robbed 4 bars in the past couple of weeks, another bar was robbed last Monday (7.6.09).

The robber struck at 11:50 p.m. at St. Charles Bar & Billiards, 736 St. Charles Ave. He pulled a pistol and demanded money from the female bartender.

The robber was described as a black male, 20 to 25 years old, 5'8" tall, weighing 150 pounds, with a thin build and light complexion, wearing a white T-shirt and dark pants. The description is close to those given in the other robberies, in which 8th District detectives believe Kerry Paul was the perpetrator, but word is, the detectives don't think it's related to the 4 in the Marigny Triangle and the Quarter.

Other robberies: Several "simple" robberies over the weekend terrified local residents:

• Sunday (7.12.09): A white woman walking near St. Philip and Bourbon streets around 11:10 p.m. was accosted by a white guy who pushed her against the wall and demanded her purse. She complied and he fled on foot on St. Philip toward the river.

He was described as 20 to 25 years old, 5'5" tall, weighing 140 pounds, with a thin build, unshaven and bald, wearing a white shirt and dark pants. The police later released this picture (above) from a private video surveillance tape from a residence on St. Philip. About all it does is, yes, confirm the robber was white and bald.

• Saturday (7.11.09): A Hispanic man working at Fat Catz Music Club, 440 Bourbon St., around 3:20 a.m. was robbed of his cellphone when 2 black dudes struck him and then attempted to flee on foot.

Police apprehended Jeffery Turner (pictured), 25, and a 29-year-old black man for whom the court and jail have no record of, and charged them with simple robbery.

• Friday (7.10.09): A black man walking near St. Joseph and Carondelet streets in the CBD was approached by another black man who implied he had a gun and demanded money. The victim fled and the suspect got away in a gray van which sped off on Howard Street toward Lee Circle. The would-be robber is described as 40 to 44 years old, 5'3" tall, weighing 170 pounds, wearing a multi-colored shirt and blue jeans.
  

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

Thom Kahler