NEW ORLEANS – Yesterday, District Attorney Jason Williams and ProjectNOLA Executive Director Bryan LaGarde stood together to announce the arraignment of a defendant in a brazen Mid-City New Orleans roadway shooting in September 2022. The arraignment comes after prosecutors filed a bill of information charging the defendant with 2 counts of attempted second degree murder, 1 count of assault by drive-by shooting, and 1 count of illegal carrying of a weapon in connection with the incident.

During the press conference, DA Williams extended his thanks to local nonprofit ProjectNOLA for it’s amazing work and collaboration to help make New Orleans safer. Their extensive crime camera network captured the events leading up to the shooting and provided essential evidence to arrest and prosecute this violent offender.

District Attorney Jason Williams said, “This is the type of group lift that will help us battle our current crime surge. No single agency or solution alone will be sufficient enough to tackle the senseless violence plaguing our community. We must all think outside the box, utilizing new tools and new partnerships. Most importantly, we need everyone working together invested in the best interest of a safer New Orleans. As NOPD and other criminal legal system actors work to address severe manpower shortages, our community’s law enforcement agencies require all the help that they can get. I am extremely appreciative of this force multiplier provided by ProjectNOLA and others to aid the identification, apprehension, and prosecution of those that seek to wreak havoc in the City of New Orleans.”

ProjectNOLA’s high quality video, stills, and other pertinent information will prove to be an essential tool to fight this rising crime surge. Their assistance bolstered law enforcement efforts to identify a suspect and helped provide a more complete picture of what occurred.

ProjectNOLA Executive Director Bryan LaGarde said, “Designed to support local law enforcement crime reduction efforts, ProjectNOLA’s community-based crime camera initiative empowers private citizens, schools, churches, business organizations, and associations to directly make a difference in the community. Helping area residents and stakeholders to host highly advanced crime cameras that may clearly see a criminal’s face or vehicle hundreds of feet away at night, recognize license plates, faces, and clothing, while also automatically alerting to possible gunfire, illegal intrusions and trash dumping, ProjectNOLA is committed to supporting the dedicated men and women of the NOPD, Orleans Parish DA’s Office and other local agencies in effort to enhance the safety of all.”

According to New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) reports, the defendant was arrested after surveillance footage captured the defendant shooting at two victims in another vehicle on Tulane Avenue near the intersection with South Norman C. Francis Avenue in September 2022. The defendant was arraigned on Monday, January 9, 2023.

To learn more, please visit orleansda.com.

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