NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams and his 78-year-old mother were carjacked at gunpoint on Monday, Oct. 16, he says.
“She keeps reliving what happened,” Williams said. “I think she was looking at the gun, looking at me, looking at the gun, fearing the worst. I don’t think my adrenaline has quite gone down yet.”
Around 10 p.m. Monday, Williams says he was getting ready to drive his mother home. He assisted her into the passenger seat and then started walking toward the driver’s side of his SUV.
“Two masked individuals got out, brandishing automatic hand guns, pointed them at my head and told me to give up the car,” Williams recounted. “I put my hands in the air, attempted to comply, but I was very clear that I could not give up the car until I got my mother out of the car.”
Williams was able to get his mother out of his car despite the repeated demands from the two suspects. They then drove off, and Williams called 911.
Metropolitan Crime Commission President Rafael Goyeneche says although carjackings are down this year, they’re still higher than they were in 2019 when the New Orleans Police Department was fully staffed.
“Even though the police got there relatively quickly, it was eight minutes,” Goyeneche said. “They didn’t get there in time to apprehend the people in this particular case, and we’ve subsequently learned that those perpetrators may have been involved in a second carjacking.”
NOPD announced Tuesday morning the perpetrators responsible for carjacking Williams likely committed a second carjacking about a mile away in the 1800 block of Baronne Street just 30 minutes later.
So far, no arrests have been made, but the two vehicles have been recovered.
Williams thanked NOPD for its response to the incident. He says he is now processing this life-altering incident.
“I’ve heard from carjacking victims, and I’ve heard from all sorts of victims about how fast it happens and how it sort of shakes you to your core, and I’ve got to feel it firsthand.”
If the suspects are arrested, Williams says he will recommend another agency to try the case, citing a conflict of interest.
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