NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The New Orleans Police Department is investigating a Friday night shooting that left one person dead and another person injured.
The shooting happened around 8 p.m. on North Broad Street between Iberville and Bienville streets.
It was a typical Friday night at Ray’s on the Avenue with drinks, friends, and music until the sounds of gunshots alerted the restaurant’s owner, Elray Holmes.
“Upon checking the patrons outside to see if everybody was alright, one of the victims ran inside the restaurant and informed [us] he had been shot,” explained Holmes.
The restaurant owner helped the victim until emergency personnel and police arrived.
“NOPD explained to me [that] right before that occurred, there were two other homicides, so that’s the trend,” said Holmes. “We’re not accepting it, but that seems to be the trend.”
Holmes calls the shooting a setback because he doesn’t want people to associate his restaurant with criminal activity in the area; however, he is finding solace in his clientele.
“I know that our customers that come here know that that’s not something that we tolerate, and it’s not something that happens around here every day, inside or outside,” said Holmes. “And we won’t tolerate it.”
Holmes is now calling on the public to do their part.
“We have to figure out how to combat it, and we can’t just rely on NOPD to do it without our help,” said Holmes. “So, we have to help, and that’s basically what it boils down to. You can’t be quiet and expect results.”
If you have any information about this shooting, call Crime Stoppers at 504-822-1111. Your call may be anonymous.