NEW ORLEANS — A barrage of bullets flew in the French Quarter at the intersection of Orleans and Bourbon streets early Sunday morning, leaving at least five people hurt.
On any given night, you can find hundreds of people out on Bourbon Street trying to have a good time, but some locals say they’re concerned that the uptick in violence will deter tourists from coming to New Orleans.
Like Brian Mullin, owner of Local 718, a bar that was in direct path of the shooting.
“Ten people I know who were coming for Jazz Fest are not going to come because they don’t feel safe, and that scares me,” said Mullin.
Mullin says crime is rampant in the Quarter, and says over the last year the area has gotten out of control.
“The inmates are running the asylum here on Bourbon Street. What happens when the inmates run the asylum? Eventually, they burn it to the ground,” said Mullin.
New Orleans Police Superintendent Shaun Ferguson says the NOPD has been enforcing curfew while in the Quarter, but says the department is severely understaffed.
“The agreement between the city of New Orleans and Louisiana State Police expired last year, so we’re now having to work in a different capacity. We have to be creative, we have to be innovative of our deployment, and we’re doing just that,” said Ferguson.
The NOPD says two suspects are involved in the shooting. One has been identified, but they need to figure out who the man dressed in the black is, as well as two people of interest. If you recognize anyone in the pictures, or if you know what happened Sunday morning, call police.